Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I, too, congratulate Major General Patrick Nash on his appointment to the position of operations commander for the proposed EU operation in the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic. Much has been said about the great honour his appointment represents to Ireland and the Defence Forces.

I have had the pleasure of dealing with the Defence Forces and noted that they are at no time unwilling to participate in peacekeeping missions, regardless of the part of the world they are asked to go. No country in the European Union has the vast peacekeeping experience of the Irish troops and therefore we should be very proud of them.

There is a very thin line between peacekeeping and peace enforcement. If we are to ask troops to participate in what is effectively a peace enforcement mission, it is vital that they be equipped properly and have a clear mandate at the outset. Ultimately, we owe it to the troops despatched on overseas missions, and their families, to ensure their safety abroad and their safe return. I have no doubt that, in keeping with what has happened heretofore, this will happen but it is nevertheless important to state the need to ensure that it be done.

I am particularly pleased to see that the European Union, as a body, is meeting its responsibility in this mission. I note with concern, however, that it may be the case that some EU states will have the option to opt out of meeting its cost. I object totally to this. If we do not operate as a united European Union when engaging in peacekeeping and peace enforcement and leave it to some nations to pick and choose, the Union will lose credibility.

I have always held the view that the Union, as a unit, should play its part in the United Nations. I still believe the Union should have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and that it should fund the United Nations in a proper fashion. Like some other major powers throughout the world, the United Nations has been strapped for money over the years. While it would be far better if the African Continent were supported in its efforts to deal with problems within its own boundaries, we learned a lesson in this regard in respect of Somalia. When everybody else stood back, the United States moved in and a total disaster ensued. It is a very difficult exercise to participate in a peacekeeping mission.

During my term as Minister for Defence, I had the pleasure of meeting the then military attaché for the United States, who openly suggested to me it would be of great benefit if we allowed senior officers of the US defence forces to attend our peacekeeping school in the Curragh. He admitted openly that they knew nothing about real peacekeeping. What they knew about, and possessed, was the most modern weaponry in the world, and they were trained to use it. I, the Minister and Deputy Billy Timmins, a former member of the Defence Forces whom I had the pleasure of meeting on a couple of occasions when he was on duty with the United Nations in Lebanon and Cyprus——

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