Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak in this debate with my colleague the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, and other colleagues. The Taoiseach already referred to this issue this morning. It is obviously a matter of significant importance to Members of the House.

My interest in this area dates in particular from my time as Minister of State with responsibility for overseas development aid. In 2004, I visited Sudan and the refugee camps in El Fasher and Darfur. I saw at first hand the suffering of the men, women and children in those camps. I was accompanied by officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and representatives of NGOs like Concern and GOAL. We heard horrific stories of the suffering of the people there, especially women who were abused, attacked and raped if they left the camps. They were extremely frightened. On a broader level, it is a terrible reflection on the international community that this conflict has continued for so many years and has not been resolved.

Returning to Deputy O'Shea's point, it is clear that the main reason we are sending troops to Chad, where these refugees are fleeing from Sudan, is for humanitarian purposes. I am very proud of the fact that our Army personnel are going there. I accept there are legitimate concerns about safety and these are being addressed. My colleague, the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, has referred to them, as I will in my contribution. I note what he and Lieutenant General Dermot Earley stated yesterday about safety. Lieutenant General Earley stated the risk would be similar to that in Liberia. The terrain in Chad is more vast and the climactic conditions will be more difficult there as the temperature is hotter. Serious issues arose in terms of malaria in Liberia also. The personnel travelling will be well resourced.

As the Taoiseach stated this morning and as my colleague, the Minister, stated today, 50 members of the Army Ranger Wing will be going in advance next month. From my experience of travelling to Liberia, it is clear they will be very well equipped. I will try to deal with some of the issues raised by Deputy O'Shea and others in my brief contribution.

I note that the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, has identified deteriorating security as one of the major challenges it faces in addressing the humanitarian issues in Chad. For that reason it is most appropriate that the Army, which has done tremendous work in other parts of the world, should go there, notwithstanding the very serious points that have been made on security.

There are approximately 240,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad and 180,000 internally displaced persons. The country also hosts approximately 45,000 refugees from the Central African Republic. The problem in Chad is inextricably linked with developments across the border in Sudan. In recent years Ireland has played a significant part in helping to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Chad, as we have also been doing in Sudan. Since 2006 we have provided over €6 million in funding endeavours in Chad and a further €2 million was announced recently for humanitarian support by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern. That money is going to the United Nations and NGOs, including Irish NGOs. I see this involvement as complementing the tremendous reputation we have abroad on the humanitarian side. I will try to deal with some of the issues raised by Deputy O'Shea, as will my colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, in concluding this debate.

The basis of Ireland's participation in international peacekeeping is firmly grounded in the United Nations. Ireland is, and always has been, a strong and committed supporter of co-operation and multilateral arrangements for collective security through the development of international organisations, particularly the United Nations. In tandem with this, Ireland has recognised and defended the primary role of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the UN Charter.

In recent years, the UN has recognised the advantages presented by the existence of regional organisations, such as the European Union, to which it can assign crisis management and peace support missions. Today, the European Union has the capacity to mount major peacekeeping operations and, to date, a total of five military operations, both in and outside Europe, have been undertaken by the Union. The comprehensive range of instruments available to the Union, including the capacity to deploy military forces, means that the Union now has the ability to play a major role in supporting international peace and security and in support of the United Nations.

Co-operation between the European Union and the United Nations is being continuously developed to ensure a coherent and complementary response in peace support operations. There is also increasing co-operation between the UN and the EU in the area of crisis management, with EU involvement in the areas of rule of law, incorporating courts and prisons, civil administration and civil protection, including response to natural disasters.

The increasing necessity for post-conflict peace building has also called for the involvement of civilian police, typically including a training element, and the Garda has participated in a number of such operations and has built up a capacity in this field that is well recognised internationally.

The touchstone for Ireland's participation in overseas missions continues to be the UN. Decisions on Irish participation in ESDP missions are taken on a case-by-case basis and are subject to the "triple lock" process. Irish participation in ESDP operations is fully in keeping with Ireland's commitment to the UN. The Government is fully supportive of the participation of the Defence Forces in a substantive manner in the EUFOR mission.

Turning to the current conflict and the proposed operation in Chad and the Central African Republic, the multiple conflicts in the border areas between Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic constitute a threat to peace and security in the whole region. In Chad, following an agreement between the Government of Chad and the peaceful political opposition in August 2007, a peace deal was signed between the government and four rebel groups in October 2007. However, there continue to be major problems, with ongoing clashes between rebels and government forces. Arising from these clashes, more than 180,000 people are displaced and 240,000 Sudanese refugees now live in camps in eastern Chad.

In the case of the Central African Republic, the already fragile situation has been exacerbated by the activities of criminal gangs, the spillover of instability from Darfur and Chad and an armed rebellion in the north west and the north east. Approximately 170,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since September 2005. In addition, more than 43,000 refugees from the Central African Republic reside in Chad and 20,000 people are thought to have fled to Cameroon. Malnutrition has reached alarming levels, particularly among children. The very troublesome situation in the region, in Sudan, Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic demands an immediate response from the international community. The Defence Forces will play a crucial role in helping to provide a more secure environment for the camps.

That innocent people, already uprooted from their homes, terrorised, raped and murdered, continue to be at risk in camps for refugees and internally displaced persons cannot be tolerated. The authorities of Chad and the Central African Republic have welcomed a possible EU military presence in their respective countries. On 25 September 2007, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1778 establishing a multidimensional UN mission in Chad and the Central African Republic that will help strengthen security in the region. The multidimensional presence will comprise, first, a United Nations mission in Chad and in the Central African Republic, to be known as MINURCAT, focusing on the security and protection of civilians — particularly refugees, internally displaced persons or IDPs and civilians in danger — and on human rights and the rule of law in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR and, second, troops deployed by the European Union with a robust authorisation to protect and support it. In its decision of 15 October 2007, the Council of the European Union agreed a joint action to launch the ESDP mission in support of the UN operation in Chad and in the Central African Republic.

UN Security Council Resolution 1778 authorises the European Union, acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, to deploy for a period of one year from the date that its initial operating capability is declared by the European Union in consultation with the Secretary General. The EU forces will be deployed to eastern Chad and the north-eastern Central African Republic. The EU forces are authorised to support the UN and to take all necessary measures within its capabilities and its area of operation to contribute to protecting civilians in danger, particularly refugees and displaced persons; to improve security in the area of operations to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the free movement of humanitarian personnel; and to contribute to protecting United Nations and associated personnel, facilities, installations and equipment.

The EU is planning to launch this operation as a matter of urgency. The intention is to have an initial operational capability on the ground in December with the operation fully functional by the end of March 2008. The Minister for Defence has called on his European ministerial colleagues to step up to the plate and provide the required assets to allow this important mission to proceed speedily. Ireland from the outset has been positively disposed towards the proposed mission. In its decisions of 2 October and 23 October 2007, the Government decided to deploy the then Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Pat Nash, as operation commander of the EU force, together with up to 11 additional personnel, to the headquarters of the operation. Dáil Éireann approved his deployment and that of his personal support staff on 9 October 2007. The role of the operation commander is to manage the overall military operation and to provide the military interface between the military operation and MINURCAT, the EU and the UN.

The likely location for the deployment of the substantive Irish contingent will be in eastern Chad. The Irish contingent will be based on a mechanised infantry battalion group comprising manoeuvre elements and combat support and combat service support elements. The contingent will comprise some 400 personnel. Due to the nature of the operation and the mission area and environment, force protection will be a key consideration. The final configuration of Ireland's contingent contribution to the mission is being further worked out in consultation with the EU military staff and the operation commander.

The Defence Forces initial entry force will comprise an advance party of approximately 50 personnel of the Army Ranger Wing and support elements. The main contingent, which is currently undergoing selection and concentration prior to detailed mission specific training, will likely deploy in February or March 2008. A full assessment of the Chad-CAR operation was undertaken, including a comprehensive and detailed reconnaissance of the area of operations by an experienced Defence Forces team, before the final decision was made. The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has advised that the threat level in the area of operations is assessed as medium risk.

Rebel bandit groups using 4 x 4 pick-up vehicles and hit and run tactics constitute the main threat EUFOR may have to face. These groups operate opportunistically, concentrating and dissipating quickly, and engage weaker targets, including aid workers, the local population and weaker military elements, but without the potential for any prolonged engagement. These groups operate mainly along the border between Chad and Sudan. French forces based in Chad have indicated that to date they have had no engagement with any of these groups, possibly due to the fact that the groups do not have the potential to engage well trained and equipped military elements.

The Defence Forces have a strong tradition of participation in missions of this nature and Ireland has a particular commitment to Africa, evidenced by, among other things, our bilateral aid programme. Having regard to the importance of this mission for peace and stability in the region and Ireland's abiding interest in Africa and its development, the Government is satisfied that we should participate in the mission. Ireland is determined to play a meaningful and constructive role, as the expected second largest contributor and the provider of the operation commander. As I stated earlier, the launch of the operation depends on the response of the European Union. In this regard, it is vital that those member states who have access to medical and air assets come forward in support of the mission. Planning is continuing in earnest and I look forward to a successful launch of the mission in December. The House will join with me in wishing our troops a successful and safe mission.

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