Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Following a request from the United Nations, the EU is examining the provision of a supporting operation, under an EU flag, for MONUC, the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Various options for the mission are being considered within the EU, which has indicated that it is positively disposed towards supporting MONUC. Fact-finding missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to the United Nations in New York have been undertaken.

The main purpose of the mission is to be available to support MONUC during the upcoming election process. The EU will not substitute for MONUC, but rather will provide a supporting role in the event of unrest during the election period. The current plan is that a protection force, possibly up to 400 troops, will be located on the ground, probably in Kinshasa. Outside of that, there will be an over-the-horizon force, either in Europe or possibly in a neighbouring state, ready to deploy should it be required. Total numbers could be approximately 1,500.

Germany will provide the operational headquarters for the mission, which will be based in Potsdam. The force headquarters, which will be supplied by France, will be based in Kinshasa. Germany and France will together provide approximately two thirds of the force. The mission is in the initial planning stages. The specific structure, organisation, tasks and roles of the force and the contributors to it have yet to be fully elaborated. This should happen over the next couple of weeks.

Ireland is positively disposed towards the proposed mission and supports a positive response from the EU to the UN. In this regard, Ireland wrote to the chairman of the EU military staff confirming that Ireland was prepared to offer up to ten headquarters personnel for the mission subject to national decision-making procedures, which will be adhered to. Our proposed contribution is well in line with that of other contributing member states and has to be looked at in the context of our existing major commitments to peacekeeping operations in Africa and the Balkans.

I assure the Deputy that any contribution will satisfy the requirements of the Defence Acts in terms of participation. Discussions are ongoing in the UN on an appropriate mandate for the mission. As the proposed offer involves fewer than ten troops, Dáil approval is not required in this instance. I cannot state specifically when the UN Security Council resolution will be passed or when a Government decision will be made. However, I expect this to be in the next few weeks, given that the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo are due in June. I understand that Germany, which will lead the force, expects to deploy at the end of May or the beginning of June.

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