Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2005
378 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence when the Irish involvement in the INFICYP Cyprus mission commenced and when it will cease; the number of Irish personnel who served in same; his plans to mark the end of Irish military involvement; the reason he has decided that Irish personnel will no longer contribute to this mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16092/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraDefence Forces personnel have been serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus, UNFICYP, since 1964. To date, military personnel have completed a total of 9,656 individual tours of duty with the mission. One officer of the Permanent Defence Force is serving with UNFICYP. He is due to complete his tour of duty with the mission on 31 May 2005. I am advised by the military authorities that there are no plans to mark the end of the Defence Forces involvement with this mission. The decision to withdraw Defence Forces personnel from UNFICYP was taken in July 2003 following a review of all Defence Forces commitments to overseas tasks, as provided for in the White Paper on Defence published in February 2000.
