Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2022
95. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence the details of the recent exercises engaged in by the 1st Brigade Artillery Regiment with NATO Forces in Cork; the breakdown of similar exercise which have taken place over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34177/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recent exercise referred to was an Operational Capabilities Concept Self Evaluation undertaken by a Battery from the 1st Brigade Artillery Regiment in Kilworth Camp, Cork.
Operational Capability Concept (OCC) is an evaluation and feedback process that provides for external evaluation by trained evaluators of declared military capabilities in accordance with NATO standards. The Defence Forces joined the OCC Programme in 2016. It is an aspect of Ireland’s participation in Partnership for Peace, which is seen as fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for multinational crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN.
NATO forces did not participate in this exercise. A small number of military evaluators from NATO member states were there as observers as part of the evaluation and feedback process.
The Defence Forces has conducted the OCC process on three previous occasions - once in 2018 with 1 Armoured Cavalry Squadron and twice in 2021 with the Naval Service and Army Ranger Wing.
Self-determination is the fundamental underpinning of OCC, in that it affords Partners the flexibility to choose not only to participate in a specific programme but also to choose their level of participation. It is an entirely voluntary process.
The White Paper on Defence 2015 refers to utilising NATO as the standard and benchmark for the Defence Forces, it being the ‘ISO of the military world’. The Defence Forces involvement with OCC is a reflection of how they strive to reach that standard and benchmark.
