Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Everybody would probably like to ask that question. Mali has been a dangerous place for some time. What happened in the Radisson Blu in Bamako last week was a tragedy for many people concerned. Mali has had many challenges for some time. Some 20 EU countries have peacekeeping, peace training or peace enforcement troops in Mali. There is a major European effort to try to stabilise the country and have the Mali Government stabilise the country and protect its own people. Ireland is playing a very important, practical and real role there in a training mission. I have been there and have witnessed it.

Since the Paris attacks, France has said it has multiple peacekeeping responsibilities across north Africa, as a result of which it feels very stretched.

If it is decided to redeploy troops from peacekeeping missions to focus on national security issues, gaps will obviously emerge. It is in terms of filling some of those gaps that Ireland is considering whether it can be of assistance to the United Nations. Obviously, we have spoken to France about that. It is an ongoing discussion. We actually had a reconnaissance mission in Mali before the attacks in Paris to consider whether we could do more there given the success of the training mission there to date. That is very helpful in terms of making an assessment. I reassure everyone listening that we will not send Irish troops anywhere without an appropriate risk assessment, appropriate reconnaissance and the usual reports that a Government needs and demands from its military and Department of Defence before it can sanction the sending of Irish Defence Forces personnel anywhere. There will be no knee-jerk reaction, but we obviously want to try to be helpful if we can. The recent tragedies and terrorism in Europe are resulting in a changed debate on security.

The role Ireland can play is to do what it is good at without compromising its neutrality or any other settled foreign or defence policies that apply. We are good at peacekeeping and have considerable capacity and experience in this area. If we can contribute to helping in UN missions as a result of the redeployment of French resources, we will consider that. It is a process that will be subject to the triple-lock system. There will be further debate on it if I bring any recommendations to the Government. We certainly will not rush anything on that score.