I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 67 together.
Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace to date is set out in our four individual partnership programmes, copies of which have been lodged in the Oireachtas Library. Ireland's fourth IPP, covering the period 2004 to 2005, was completed in consultation with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Justice Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children, and Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. A total of 108 activities were chosen representing participation by the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Activities consist of training courses, seminars, workshops, conferences, staff exercises and table top exercises.
Defence Forces personnel have participated in a number of staff, technical and crisis management exercises in the context of both the EU and PfP as set out in the following schedule. In accordance with stated policy, the Defence Forces do not participate in multinational military field exercises.
Ireland also participates in the PfP planning and review process, known as PARP. In common with the other EU neutral states, Ireland is using the PARP in connection with planning for humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping and crisis management, collectively known as the Petersberg Tasks. The scope of our involvement in PARP is focused on enhancing inter-operability and familiarity with operating procedures in a multinational environment.
Participation in Partnership for Peace activities is voluntary and is based on the principle of self-differentiation, that is, a state selects for itself the nature and scope of its participation.
Exercise Title
|
Exercise Type
|
Participating Nations
|
Host Nation
|
Viking (held in 2001 and 2003)
|
Computer-based crisis response exercise
|
PfP nations
|
Sweden
|
Combined Endeavour (held from 2001 annually to date)
|
Radio communications exercise (required to test DF communications equipment for inter-operability purposes in PSO)
|
PfP nations
|
Germany
|
Co-operative Lantern 2002
|
Peace support command post exercise for crisis response
|
PfP nations
|
Netherlands
|
Co-operative Nugget 2002
|
This exercised PfP nations on their planning and process and staff procedures.
|
PfP nations
|
Sweden
|
Co-operative Safeguard 2002
|
Maritime command post exercise based on response to a natural disaster
|
PfP nations
|
Iceland
|
Allied Action (2003 and 2004)
|
Exercise to deploy a peace support operation joint task force HQ.
|
PfP nations
|
Turkey
|
CMX (2001)
|
Crisis management exercise
|
PfP nations
|
In capitals
|
CME (2004)
|
Crisis management exercise
|
EU member states
|
|
CME/CMX (2003)
|
Crisis management exercise
|
EU & NATO
|
In capitals
|
CME (2002)
|
Crisis management exercise
|
EU member states
|
In capitals
|