Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The battlegroups-rapid response elements concept is one that has been under development in the European Union for some time. From the outset of the establishment of the European Security and Defence Policy in 1999, it has been envisaged that, to carry out the full range of so-called Petersberg tasks, the EU's crisis management capabilities would need to include rapid response elements, available and deployable at very high readiness.

Significant work was done during the Irish Presidency in the first half of 2004 to develop these capabilities. The overall battlegroups concept was agreed under our Presidency in April 2004. Since April, work has progressed on developing the concept and, at a military capabilities commitment conference last November, member states committed up to 13 battlegroup formations, which will be on stand-by for a six month period to deploy to crises within a 15 day period. In the initial 2005-07 period, these formations will be primarily national. From 2007 onwards, it is envisaged that battlegroup formations will be largely multi-national in character. As the Deputy will be aware, the United Nations Secretary General has strongly supported the development of the battlegroups concept. These formations have the potential to play a significant role in support of the UN, including through deploying at the request of the UN as a "bridging force", i.e. deploying quickly to a crisis for a relatively short period, while a larger and longer-term UN peacekeeping force is established.

The Minister for Defence has already outlined to the House the parameters of the Government's position in terms of a possible Irish contribution to rapid response elements. After consideration by the Government, Ireland indicated at the military capabilities commitment conference in November 2004 that we were prepared to enter into consultations with partners with a view to potential participation. An important element of such consultation includes discussions at foreign minister level. I have already held bilateral consultations in Stockholm and Helsinki last week with both my Swedish and Finnish counterparts. These consultations included the issue of the ongoing development of the European security and defence policy and the role rapid response elements can play in enhancing the EU's crisis management capabilities. We discussed plans by Finland and Sweden to participate in the initiative, including the establishment of a Swedish-led battlegroup with the participation of Finland and Norway. I briefed both Ministers on considerations that will be brought to bear in considering Ireland's participation in the initiative, including our commitment to the triple lock policy, involving the need for Government, Dáil and UN authorisation in the deployment of defence forces personnel to crisis management missions overseas. I also informed my colleagues of the decision to establish an interdepartmental group, which includes representatives of my Department, the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces and the Attorney General's office, to examine the policy, legislative and operational issues arising from Ireland's possible participation.

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