Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I have yet to receive the report of the interdepartmental group which I established to examine all issues relating to battle groups. However, I do not envisage the Defence Forces buying any particular equipment in the context of its possible participation in battle groups. Participation in battle groups will not involve increased investment in the Defence Forces to acquire additional capabilities which are not central or key to our primary tasks in peace support operations, defence of the sovereign territory and support to the civil power and the civil authorities, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. Any offer to a battlegroup will be in the context of these capabilities.

As the Deputy will be aware, significant investment has been made in Defence Forces equipment in recent years to provide them with the most modern equipment to undertake the tasks assigned to them by Government. The upgrading of their equipment, which is continuing, is designed to ensure that the Defence Forces have the necessary equipment to undertake specific roles, including supporting chapter 7 missions under the Charter of the UN, involving robust peacekeeping and peacemaking.

Going to war is not one of the missions contemplated for battle groups, which may only be used for Petersberg Tasks as set out in the Amsterdam treaty. In short, these are humanitarian, rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management operations, including peacemaking. Within the framework of the Petersberg Tasks, battle groups may have to engage in intensive operations to complete their assigned mission. Where there is a need for higher-end capabilities to undertake these missions, these capabilities will be provided by those nations which already have them at their disposal within their military forces.

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