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Overseas Missions.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 March 2004

Thursday, 25 March 2004

Ceisteanna (11, 12)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

10 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on the work to date of the contingent of the Defence Forces serving in Liberia. [9272/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Paul Nicholas Gogarty

Ceist:

40 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Defence the situation regarding Irish armed forces in Liberia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9309/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí ó Béal (16 píosaí cainte)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 40 together.

The Defence Forces contingent which was deployed for service with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL, in December 2003 comprises a motorised infantry battalion of some 430 personnel. A small number of additional personnel have also been deployed at force headquarters and as military observers.

Initial deployment will be for one year with a possible extension thereafter subject to renewal of the UN mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission. In the case of UNMIL, my intention is that Defence Forces involvement will not exceed two to three years in duration. Elections, which are due in 2005 under the comprehensive peace agreement, should be completed at that stage.

At the request of the United Nations, a contingent of the Army Ranger Wing, amounting to some 40 personnel, was deployed for a three month period from December 2003 to February 2004. This contingent has now returned home. Sadly, as Deputies will recall, Sergeant Derek Mooney of the Army ranger wing lost his life while on duty in Liberia and one of his colleagues was injured.

The main Irish contingent operates as the force commander's rapid reaction reserve. The role of the Irish personnel is the provision of an immediate response capability, deployable in sufficient strength and with the required level of force to provide a swift and decisive military reaction to any crisis. To date, the Irish battalion in UNMIL has mainly operated in a path-finding and reconnaissance role supporting the deployment of other UN contingents.

It has also conducted long-range patrols beyond Monrovia and well into the interior of Liberia in order to display a strong UN presence, deter lawlessness and protect local populations. The contingent also undertakes regular daily patrols within the Monrovia area. While the UN contingents have now deployed to their areas of operation throughout Liberia, the Irish battalion remains available to the force commander to provide support and a rapid response capability in the event of a breakdown in law and order or further conflict.

A wide range of equipment and force protection assets have been deployed with the contingent including Mowag APCs, armoured vehicles and support weapons, heavy machine guns and mortars. Due to the equipment modernisation programmes that have taken place in the Defence Forces over the past few years, UNMIL will be the best-equipped battalion ever to serve overseas.

I visited Irish troops serving with UNMIL during the period 21 to 23 January 2004 and observed at first hand the work of Irish military personnel serving in the area and conveyed to them, on behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, our deep appreciation for the outstanding manner in which they continue to perform their duties on overseas service. UNMIL is a challenging assignment and the Defence Forces are to be congratulated on the expeditious manner in which they planned and undertook their first deployment to this mission.

Camp Clara, the headquarters of the Irish troops serving with the 90th infantry battalion, UNMIL, is located 10 km. from the main town of Monrovia. Since its deployment, the Irish battalion has put a significant amount of work into the establishment and development of the camp, including the provision of recreation and training facilities. Further facilities will be added in the future as appropriate.

Deputies will be aware that the adoption of a number of local humanitarian projects is a feature of Irish peace support operations. While in Liberia, I visited an AIDS hospice run by the Missionaries of Charity, the order of Mother Theresa — now St. Theresa — which is being assisted on a personal voluntary basis by members of the Irish battalion. During this visit to the hospice, it gave me great pleasure in announcing that Development Co-operation Ireland is contributing €15,000 to the humanitarian work of the current contingent in this regard. I have also allocated €10,000 from the Vote for defence to the contingent to support this important humanitarian work.

During my visit I found morale among troops to be very high. I congratulated the Irish personnel on the success of their mission so far and observed the positive effect their presence is already having in Monrovia and other areas since their arrival.

What provisions are in place for medical cover and care for the troops? Is the Minister satisfied they are adequate? Is he satisfied with the level of accommodation available for the troops? How long does each contingent spend there? He might have mentioned that in his reply. How often do they have an opportunity to return home? It appears unreasonable to charge personnel €500 to travel home on an Army plane.

I am delighted to hear I have such planes — I do not have Army planes in that sense. One will not fly to Monrovia on the Army's aircraft. One might if one could fly on the G4.

That is why we need another Government plane.

That is why we need a bigger one. That aircraft could accommodate only ten or 12 personnel. Chartered flights are booked for personnel and they cost a bit of money, but we heavily subsidise the cost of such flights. I do not need to go into that because we want to be as generous as we can.

We have done considerable work on improving the medical facilities. There may be an opportunity for me to arrange for Deputies opposite who are interested in defence matters to view the equipment and medical facilities. Some hospitals here do not have facilities that I was proud to see in Monrovia. The facilities there have to cover many disease risks. There are many problems there and they need to have the best we can give them. We had problems originally with regard to third level care. We are trying to mastermind that now by having a facility to transfer any patient to facilities by way of helicopter. One can never say everything is perfect, but we have a sufficient number of medical personnel. They are backed up by a significant number of paramedics. They have the best equipment we can give them. We have second level services available. Once the Dutch ship has returned, we are adapting the position to meet the need for third level services if they are required but hopefully they will not be.

The accommodation is fine and it continues to be improved. A marvellous job of work was done in a few months to provide the types of facilities in place. The next contingent will add to that when they get the chance.

With regard to the length of time a contingent spends there, members' stay is reviewed after one year. I like to review matters because I do not want them to drift along and to take them for granted. We will be there for longer than that period.

I am sure the Minister will be pleased to know that at our recent party Ard-Fheis a motion was tabled congratulating the Irish troops on their mission in Liberia. They are doing an outstanding job. What other UN contingents and other troops are there along with the Irish troops? Does the Minister believe the situation has become safer because there was an anxiety that this would be one of the most difficult missions upon which our troops have embarked? Is the situation no longer code red? Is it no longer a difficult mission? Has it become much safer or to what extend has it become safer?

In light of the impending visit of George W. Bush, had the Minister considered withdrawing some of the troops from there to afford him protection in Ireland, as his visit is becoming a security problem?

I would like to have the agility of mind which can transfer from Liberia to President Bush visiting Ireland in June, but I do not have it.

About 15 other nations are involved in Liberia. They are primarily African. Swedish troops are being sent there but I am not sure whether they have arrived. We were the only EU partner involved at the initial stages.

Along the streets of Monrovia people were beginning to put up their stalls again with simple products, which was a change after two months. The EU flag, the APCs and the transport arrangements are creating a climate of security. I would not go so far as to say that the risk is no longer high. We have to be vigilant, particularly when one moves out from Monrovia. The further one moves out from it, the more treacherous that path can become. I would not like to indicate any lowering of defences in terms of the security risk. Our troops told us that in the first few weeks the stalls were not there but that people gradually felt they could come out and set them up again. That is comforting and encouraging and we will try to ensure that continues.

We will not be bringing back any troops from Liberia. Deputy McGinley knew that from the beginning but because of his mischievous character, he could not resist the temptation of posing that question.

I am not Deputy McGinley.

What procedures are in place to allow Army personnel to keep in touch with their families?

We continue to improve those procedures as we receive requests. There are facilities for personnel to make a number of telephone calls each week to their homes. We will note any request we get with regard to how we can improve those. The postage arrangements have been made and are quite satisfactory. I have received no complaints of that nature. Contact with the home is important. We are indebted to the parents, spouses, husbands, partners and families of the Defence Forces because often they have to carry out duties, functions and deal with family matters without their partners, parents, husbands or wives. It is important that the maximum contact and co-operation and facility is afforded to them. We seek to do that. If I get further requests, I will try to respond to them as positively as I can. Each mission is different.

I will take a brief question from Deputy McGinley.

I apologise for making the mistake earlier of referring to Deputy Gormley as Deputy McGinley.

As long as they know me in Donegal, I am not too worried.

The last time we had questions to the Minister for Defence, I expressed serious concern to the Minister when it was reported that the ship assigned to go to Liberia with a cargo of equipment and other necessities for our personnel serving there was cancelled. The Minister was unsure on that occasion as to what happened and I do not think the ship has sailed since. However, many families from different parts of the country put considerable effort into preparing food parcels and other necessities which are unavailable to their kith and kin in Liberia. I think the depot was at Athlone Barracks and the cargo was to be sent from there to Cork and on to the boat for Liberia, which was cancelled.

Does the Minister have any idea what happened to all this material and goods which were lovingly packed by so many families to go to their loved ones? Have they been sent out or are they still in Athlone and what can we expect to happen?

There was no cancellation. A number of people undertook to make arrangements without having clearance from the military authorities and speculation took place for which we cannot account. Nevertheless, there was no cancellation or decision to send a ship.

We normally ensure that all the material and support to the missions to which the Deputy referred is flown out and that is what has been done in all these cases. It is a more expeditious way of dealing with it and is more likely to survive in better form at the end of a shorter journey. There was no cancellation since there was no decision in the first instance to have it.

Does the Minister agree that a great deal of preparation took place in Haulbowline in anticipation of the trip to Liberia?

Has the Deputy ever made arrangements to do something for which he did not have authority? There was no decision whatsoever to send a ship. I checked it out very fully after the last meeting.

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