Dáil debates

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

3:00 pm

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 109 and 261 together.

Ireland has offered, through the UN stand-by arrangements system, UNSAS, to provide up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to some 10% of Ireland's standing Army excluding reserves and demonstrates Ireland's commitment to the cause of international peace. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations.

Ireland currently contributes 758 Defence Forces personnel to 11 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following tabular statement. The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed, are the United Nations mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, MINURCAT, with 419 personnel, the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo with 236 personnel and the EU-led operation, ALTHEA, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with 44 personnel. Other personnel serve as monitors and observers with the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE. Staff are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the EU, OSCE and NATO.

As outlined in the budget in December 2009, it has been decided that the Defence Forces commitments to overseas peace support operations will be scaled back in 2010 as one of the budgetary expenditure reductions. The operations where Ireland will reduce its commitments will be KFOR in Kosovo and Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In April 2010 at the next rotation, it is planned to draw down Irish personnel from KFOR from the current 236 personnel to approximately 50 and to retain a small residual component post-October 2010. In July 2010, at the end of the next rotation to Operation ALTHEA, Ireland will reduce its current contribution of 44 personnel to approximately five.

Regarding MINURCAT, the Government is committed to retaining the Defence Forces presence in Chad beyond 14 March 2010, subject to renewal by the UN Security Council of MINURCAT's mandate beyond that date. I will bring proposals to the Government in due course seeking formal approval for the Defence Forces continued participation in this mission beyond 14 March 2010.

The strength of all overseas deployment is assessed in line with the prevailing security situation in the mission area. I am satisfied that the Defence Forces are self-sufficient in large troop deployment missions in terms of force protection and security and are integrated into the overall force protection and security plans of all other missions. The Defence Forces conduct a threat assessment on mission areas and all deployment meets the requirements of security and force protection for all personnel integrated into the overall mission requirement. Members of the Permanent Defence Force Serving Overseas as of 1 January 2010:

1.UN Missions
(i)UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ8
(ii)UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) – Israel, Syria and Lebanon12
(iii)MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara)3
(iv)MONUC (United Nations Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo)3
(v)UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast)2
(vi)MINURCAT (United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad) - HQ13
MINURCAT (United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad) - 101st Inf Battalion 406
TOTAL447
UN Mandated Missions
(vii)EUFOR (EU-led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina)44
(viii)KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) - HQ20
KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) 41st Inf Group216
(ix)ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan)7
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS734
2.Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
(i)OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina2
(ii)OSCE Mission in Belgrade - Serbia1
(iii)Staff Officer, Higher Level Planning Group, Vienna1
TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING OSCE4
3.EU Military Staff
Brussels7
4.Nordic Battlegroup HQ Staff - Sweden4
5.Military Representatives/Advisers/Staff
(i)Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York1
(ii)Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna1
(iii)Military Representative to EU (Brussels)4
(iv)Liaison Office of Ireland, NATO/PfP (Brussels)2
(v)Military Representative to NATO/PfP Co-ordination Cell/Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Mons. Belgium1
TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS758

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