Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

There are two issues here. We should forget about prior deployment for the moment. I will give an example of a normal situation where people deploy from their own country into a battle group that has already been sanctioned to go. That case is straightforward. The battle group will be waiting for a United Nations resolution and will decide to get together, either in the framework nation or elsewhere, although not in the heart of the war as that is where it is ultimately waiting to be deployed to.

I have had discussions with potential members of the Nordic battle group, which consists of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Estonia. From speaking to those countries and others, including Austria, which will also be part of multinational battle groups, it is clear that all these states are signed up to the idea that groups may sometimes get ready, for the sake of speed and efficiency, while the United Nations resolution is being passed. I do not see that undermining us in any way.

People have argued that because we are the only country in the potential Nordic battle group with a legal requirement for a United Nations resolution, we are at some disadvantage. The countries in the group regard the United Nations resolution as a political imperative in most cases.

I will be careful in my comments as Deputy Gormley may pick me up incorrectly, but I have heard reports that at least one of those countries is considering changing their law to make what is now only a political requirement a legal requirement.

See this speech in context