Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which he has had discussions with his EU and UN colleagues in the matter of further peace keeping or peace enforcement engagements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17648/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is currently contributing 563 Defence Forces personnel to 11 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed, are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 446 personnel, the EU-led Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 44 personnel and the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with 12 personnel. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Staff are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the EU, OSCE and NATO. Ireland is currently participating in the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG), which has been on stand-by since 1 January 2011 and which will stand down on Thursday next 30 June 2011. The other countries contributing to the Nordic Battlegroup are Sweden, acting as Framework Nation, Finland, Norway and Estonia. Our contribution is a Recce/ISTAR. Recce is an abbreviation of Reconnaissance. ISTAR is an acronym for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target, Acquisition and Reconnaissance. Recce/ISTAR Company together with staff posts at both the Operational and Force headquarters amounting to approximately 150 personnel.

Ireland is also committed to participation in the Austro-German led Battlegroup, which will be on stand-by for the second six (6) months of 2012. Other contributors to the Austro-German Battlegroup are Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Ireland's contribution to this Battlegroup will again be a Recce/ISTAR Company.

The total of 563 Defence Forces personnel serving overseas represents a significant contribution to international peacekeeping operations and the obligations Ireland has assumed through its membership of the UN. The recent deployment to UNIFIL has significantly increased the number of troops serving overseas, compared to the numbers serving in recent times.

The Department constantly reviews the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas. It is currently examining options for future deployments and in this regard, it has been in contact with the European Union and United Nations in relation to their requirements for missions. However, following the deployment to UNIFIL and given the current financially straitened circumstances, it is not anticipated that there will be any major deployments of troops to further missions in the foreseeable future.