Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like everything else, we become a little complacent in seeing our troops go off on peacekeeping missions if they are going to the same place regularly. It is important that we respect and appreciate fully the important role this country plays in peacekeeping missions. For that reason, I want to ask the Minister of State about the fact that we seem to have been turning over the same missions for some years now. I was Minister for Defence some years ago and we were doing the same thing then, more or less. Have we reviewed the role of the United Nations? Could we look at different areas or different responsibilities for our troops so that they can get some variation in experience? It becomes monotonous to see another 600 troops regularly going off to the same place. I am sure there are many other missions we could look at in fulfilling our duties as peacekeepers. Whether we are sending 600 or 700 soldiers abroad annually, or whatever the figure is, it is important that we stand back for a while and take stock.

I ask the Minister of State to send a report to this committee, therefore, reviewing what we have been doing over the past ten years in peacekeeping and other missions. We will then be able to look at what we have been doing rather than just turning over the same missions year in and year out. The Minister of State might tell me that is impossible but I think it should be done. Familiarity breeds contempt, as the famous saying goes, and that seems to describe what we are doing in sending another mission to the same place to do the same thing. I am sure there are plenty of other areas in the world where our expertise in peacekeeping and peacemaking could be valuably used. That is why I am asking for a review of all of our activities and why we are going to the same places for the past 20 years or however long it has been. I get the impression that the dynamism has gone out of this approach to peacekeeping and peacemaking. The Minister of State can tell me if I am dreaming or if it might be possible for us to take an overall look at all of the operations undertaken. If it is possible, perhaps we can then spend some time with the Minister of State reviewing the missions, learning from them and making suggestions as to other areas we could consider, rather than just repeating the same thing. Are my ideas and suggestions practical?