Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 September 2012
16. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence the role that the Irish Defence Forces will play in future UN missions in Syria; if the Defence Forces are preparing for such a mission in view of the deteriorating situation there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39455/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra31. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the degree to which he has received requests for deployment of members of the Defence Forces overseas; the likely strength and location of such deployments; when they are likely to occur, whether on EU or UN sponsored duty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39528/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 31 together.
In May 2012, six members of the Permanent Defence Force were deployed as unarmed military observers to the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria, UNSMIS, in response to a request from the United Nations. On 20 July 2012, the Security Council of the United Nations extended the mission for 30 days and said that any further extension could be possible only ‘in the event that the Secretary-General reports and the Security Council confirms the cessation of the use of heavy weapons and a reduction in the level of violence sufficient by all sides'' to allow the UNSMIS monitors to implement their mandate. As those conditions were not met, the UNSMIS mandate came to an end at midnight on 19 August 2012 and the UNSMIS monitors were withdrawn from Syria.
The conflict in Syria is now rapidly descending into all-out civil war with an increase in recent weeks of urban fighting between armed forces and opposition factions. The crisis has now reached a level where it poses a major threat to global peace and security, including the stability of the wider region.
The appointment of Ladkhar Brahimi as the new UN-League of Arab States special envoy is to be welcomed. We must strongly support his diplomatic efforts to bring peace and end violence in Syria. The Government remains firmly convinced that only a negotiated political solution will be able to set Syria on a road of peaceful reform where all credible and acceptable actors contribute to an overall national effort of reconciliation and reconstruction.
As regards future deployment of Defence Forces overseas, Ireland receives requests, from time to time, in relation to participation in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. When considering any particular request, the existence of realistic objectives and a clear mandate, which has the potential to contribute to a political solution, consideration of how the mission relates to the priorities of Irish foreign policy and the degree of risk involved are amongst the factors considered.
Currently, 433 Defence Forces personnel are serving overseas. In addition, Ireland is currently participating in the Austro-German led Battlegroup which is on standby from 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2012. The other members of the Austro-German Battlegroup are Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, FYROM. Training and planning is currently ongoing in preparation for a Battlegroup deployment if such a decision is taken by the EU Council. Ireland has received an invitation from the Operational Commander of Operation EUNAVFOR ATALANTA to contribute an autonomous vessel protection detachment, AVPD, to the operation. This operation is the EU’s first maritime operation which contributes to improving maritime security off the coast of Somalia and in the Indian Ocean. The defence organisation is currently considering whether it will be in a position to contribute an AVPD to this operation.
The Department of Defence constantly reviews the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas. However, following the deployment of a battalion to UNIFIL since mid-2011, it is not anticipated that there will be any major deployments of troops to further missions in the foreseeable future.
