Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann approves the despatch, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960, as applied by the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006, of a further contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established on 19th March, 1978 under UN Security Council Resolutions 425 (1978) and 426 (1978) and in accordance with its additional enhanced mandate as set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) of 11th August, 2006 as renewed under UN Security Council Resolutions 1773 (2007), 1832 (2008), 1884 (2009) and 1937 (2010) and subject to renewal of the UN authority for the mission thereafter.

I am introducing this motion and providing information on the reason the Government is responding positively to the United Nations request to provide a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

On 14 December 2010, the then Government authorised the Minister for Defence to arrange for, inter alia, the dispatch of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for a period of one year for service for UNIFIL and to move the necessary enabling resolution in Dáil Éireann.

On 22 March 2011, the Government noted my intention to implement the Government decision of 14 December 2010 and to move a resolution in Dáil Éireann approving the despatch of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with UNIFIL. In commending the motion to the House, I will briefly outline the Defence Forces participation in UNIFIL to date and the background to Ireland's response to the United Nations request to provide a further contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with UNIFIL.

Ireland has participated in UNIFIL in various guises since its establishment in 1978. The main Defence Forces battalion was withdrawn in 2001 following 23 years of service with UNIFIL. Ireland again deployed a contingent to Lebanon in 2006, for a period of 12 months, with a Finnish engineering company, when the UNIFIL force was significantly expanded under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 of 2006 made on 11 August 2006, following an escalation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. A small number of Irish personnel currently serve at UNIFIL headquarters in support of the mission.

Lebanon continues to be viewed by the international community as a volatile environment requiring a robust and extensive international presence. UNIFIL plays a vital role in stabilising southern Lebanon and in particular the area adjacent to Israel. An effective UNIFIL presence helps to neutralise the potential for renewed conflict between Israel and either Lebanon or elements in Lebanon which would have potentially very negative and extensive onward impacts across the wider Middle East region.

Since the unplanned withdrawal of the joint Irish-Finnish contingent from the UN mission in Chad last year, the Defence Forces and management in the Department have been examining all available options in terms of a deployment for the Defence Forces. In November 2010, the UN requested Ireland and Finland to contribute a mechanised infantry battalion amounting to 500 personnel to UNIFIL. The Finnish Government has also approved participation by the Finnish armed forces in this mission. Planning for the mission is ongoing in consultation with the UN and Finland.

It is intended that the Defence Forces would deploy an advance group to southern Lebanon on 23 May 2011, with the main contingent being deployed towards the end of June 2011. The Finnish contingent would deploy towards the end of the year. The advance group, comprising some 90 personnel, would include a command and support group, security party and an engineer platoon. The authorised follow-on contingent will be up to approximately 440 personnel, but this number will reduce once the Finnish forces deploy.

If participation in UNIFIL is approved by the House, initial deployment would be for one year, subject to renewal of the mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission at that time. In line with standing policy that the duration of any deployment should be set at the outset of a mission, I consider that any such deployment would be for a period of three to four years approximately and I propose that the UN be advised accordingly.

The proposed Irish deployment in UNIFIL would be to a location close to the Israeli border. The security situation in the proposed Irish battalion area of operations is currently calm. The threat to Defence Forces personnel remains low. The threat from armed elements operating in the proposed Irish battalion area of operations is assessed as medium. Appropriate force protection assets will be deployed to this mission, which will be consistent with those of other troop contributors in the area. The Defence Forces are satisfied they have sufficient capabilities, assets and experience to operate in the current and possible future UNIFIL environment in Lebanon.

The cost of participation in the UNIFIL mission, along with our participation in other UN missions, has been considered in the context of the national recovery plan and the four-year projections for the Defence Vote 2011 to 2014. I am satisfied that the cost of Defence Forces participation in the mission can be met from within the proposed allocations for the Department of Defence.

As UNIFIL is a UN-led operation, the bulk of the troop, equipment and transportation costs incurred by Ireland will be reimbursed. UNIFIL is a long established mission in the UN system and is well funded. Given previous experience, it is estimated that the net additional costs to the Exchequer in 2011, taking account of UN reimbursements and planned cost reduction initiatives on other deployments, primarily the reduction in the contingent in Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 44 personnel to seven personnel, would amount to approximately €5 million. On the same basis, it is estimated that the net additional cost to the Exchequer in 2012 would be of the order of €2.5 million to €3 million, offsetting the UN reimbursement and the full year savings from cost saving reductions in other operations.

Deployments on peacekeeping operations play a major role in support of Ireland's reputation in international organisations, including the UN and the EU, and in its visibility and presence in international politics. Ireland relies to a significant extent on the Defence Forces' contributions to support its role and credibility within the framework of international peace and security institutions and its role in international political affairs, given the very limited civilian and rule of law resources available to be deployed. In terms of international reputation, it is therefore important for Ireland to maintain a level of commitment to international peacekeeping operations and the obligations it has assumed through its membership of the UN. Throughout the years, Ireland, like Finland, has taken seriously its obligation under the United Nations Charter to make available armed forces, provide assistance and facilities, in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. The proposed participation of both Ireland and Finland in UNIFIL is but another example that demonstrates our joint contribution to international peace and security. Ireland previously partnered Finland in the UN-led MINURCAT mission in Chad. The world of peacekeeping has changed dramatically over the past years. Therefore, in the absence of partners, such as our Finnish colleagues, Ireland would be significantly inhibited in the range and nature of operations we could undertake in support of the United Nations.

The Irish Government is of the view that UNIFIL continues to play a critical role in helping to promote peace and stability in southern Lebanon. A positive response to the UN request will reaffirm our support for the United Nations and be consistent with Ireland's commitment to UN peacekeeping. Deployment at this time will be a manifestation of Ireland's long-standing support for the United Nations and its peacekeeping role.

I am confident the Defence Forces will have a real and substantive role to play in helping to stabilise southern Lebanon and that they will continue to acquit themselves well and make a vital and important contribution to the success of the UNIFIL mission, as they have done throughout the world on so many occasions in the past. I commend the motion to the House.

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