Professor Ray Murphy:

First, I will address the issue of the 50 personnel. My reservation about that is that head 7 of the Bill, which involves the dispatch of a contingent of members of the Defence Forces for external service for purposes other than an international force, outlines a range of activities in which Irish personnel can participate, including evacuation and protection of embassies.

I have no problem with that. It is completely separate from the issue of participation in the UN or an international force. The reason given for the 50 personnel in the explanatory memorandum does not seem clear enough. It provides a legislative framework for the Government to send 50 personnel on any mission without going to the Dáil. That is what it seems to permit.