Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was asked to speak here today. Deputy Mac Lochlainn sends his apologies as he is chairing the Oireachtas Joint sub-Committee on Petitions. He would normally speak about this proposal. The proposal to send up to 150 Irish Defence Force members to the Golan Heights as part of UNDOF was approved by the Cabinet. Due to the triple lock mechanism, it has to be approved by the UN, the Cabinet and the Dáil. It has been reported that troops will be sent as soon as September.

The Irish troops will be given the role of acting as the force mobile reserve and will be called in as reinforcements as well as carrying out escorts and taking part in other operations. UNDOF was established by the UN Security Council in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire in the area. It continues to liaise with both parties - Syria and Israel. The agreement provided for an area of separation and for two equal zones of limited forces and armaments on both sides of the area and called for the establishment of a UN observer force to supervise its implementation.

There is another so-called sister force in the area - the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, UNTSO, Observer Group Golan - which contains more than ten members of the Irish Defence Forces but is unarmed while UNDOF is armed. Three Defence Force members were also deployed to UNDOF mission headquarters at Camp Faouar earlier this month, with a fourth to be deployed to the mission HQ shortly.

Due to the ongoing civil war in Syria, the situation in the UNDOF area has been incredibly volatile over the past few months. It has seen rebels attack the area and try to gain control of the strategic post and the wounding and kidnapping of UNDOF soldiers and UN observers. Stray shells have previously fallen in the Golan Heights.

Israel has also settled 20,000 of its citizens in the Golan Heights in breach of international law and is willing to use and capable of using deadly force to defend them and their illegal settlements. There are Defence Force troops in Lebanon at the minute but Irish participation is set to be downsized in the autumn as Finland makes up the bulk of the battalion they serve in so it is likely these troops would be moved to the UNDOF mission.

This situation has arisen because Austria has recently redrawn its 380 troops from the 913-strong UNDOF force in protest over the EU's decision not to renew its embargo on sending arms to Syria and because it feels its troops are no longer safe there due to the decision. This has left them with a shortfall. However, reports are that the UN wants to increase the force anyway up to the authorised level of 1,250.

Austria, along with India and the Philippines, has provided a critical portion of troops to UNDOF, which has been charged with ensuring quiet on this sensitive border since it was established in 1974. The Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, stated the separation agreement did not foresee the current conflict. Neither did it foresee that Israel would not be a neutral observer of the conflict. It has taken part in a number of operations against Syria and its armed forces.

Croatia, Canada and Japan have already withdrawn their observers. Ireland was likely asked by the UN to supply troops because of our perceived neutrality and knowledge and experience of UN missions in the region. The Austrian Vice-Chancellor stated Austrian soldiers face an uncontrollable and direct threat, which has increased to an unacceptable level.

Sinn Féin is committed to positive Irish neutrality and an independent foreign policy. We believe Ireland should actively work to promote conflict resolution, peaceful democratic settlements and pathways and mechanisms to facilitate self-determination of peoples throughout the world. Our background in conflict resolution means Ireland can draw on many lessons which could be applied to other conflict situations. The State's history of serving in UN blue helmet peacekeeping missions is a matter of pride and enhances our standing as a neutral state. However, sending troops to the UNDOF mission is not a simple or straightforward decision.

The Government has been asked to send troops to the UNDOF mission to help fill a shortfall in troops caused by the Austrian Government's decision to withdraw its troops because of safety concerns over the deteriorating security situation due to the ongoing war in Syria and because the EU failed to renew its arms embargo on Syria in May. We share the concerns of the Austrian Government. The lifting of the EU arms embargo has robbed Irish troops of their neutrality in a Syrian conflict which has already seen foreign peacekeepers come under fire and some even held hostage. In essence, the EU's decision, led by Britain and France, means the impartiality of the peace mission is no longer maintained. Although no EU state has formally sent weapons to the rebel groups in Syria, they could conceivably do so while Irish troops are there and this would seriously threaten the lives of our Defence Force troops.

Irish soldiers have played a very honourable role in many similar missions and Sinn Féin believes they can play an important role in this type of mission. If the EU renewed its arms embargo Sinn Féin would support this deployment of troops to the UNDOF mission, but unfortunately this is not the case and therefore we are against this deployment. For Sinn Féin the safety of Irish Defence Force troops is the most important issue. We fear they will come under intense risk due to the failure of the EU to maintain a neutral stance in the Syrian war.

It is also important the deployment of Irish soldiers is done in a context where Ireland's position of positive neutrality is clear. Due to the EU's failure to play a positive role in resolving the conflict in Syria, and the likelihood that some large member states will start shipping weapons to the rebels, there is a danger Ireland's position will not be clear and the deployment of troops will be misunderstood in the region. The track record of the Government in remaining silent in the case of other military misadventures by our fellow EU member states does not give Sinn Féin confidence the Government would articulate a strong position.

Sinn Féin fully supports the Government's humanitarian support to the vulnerable and impoverished Syrian population and refugees, and we would support Government initiatives to increase the humanitarian aid and support supplied by the State. We continue to believe that the all sides in the Syrian conflict need to begin immediately a negotiated cessation of violence and enter into inclusive peace talks. Although Sinn Féin is against this deployment, if the Government gets Dáil approval to deploy troops, we will use all opportunities to ensure the Government provides all the resources and support needed to carry out their mission safely, without injury or loss of life.

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