Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will get back to the Deputy. The EU training mission to Mali is a common security and defence policy mission focused on providing military training and advice to the Malian armed forces to improve their military capacity and effectiveness in guaranteeing the country's territorial integrity. Training is also being provided in international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and human rights. The headquarters of the mission is in the Malian capital of Bamako where training is taking place in a dedicated training camp. A total of 22 member states are contributing over 500 troops. Personnel deployed to the mission are not involved in combat operations.

The EU's crisis management procedures date from 2003. The EU's Political and Security Committee exercises political control and strategic direction of all crisis management operations. The current crisis management procedures outline the steps to be followed in each of the phases as follows: to monitor and analyse the situation and advance planning; develop a crisis management concept; approve the crisis management concept; develop military and civilian strategic options; formally decide to take options developing planning documents, concept of operations and operational plan; implement the operational plan; review any action; and decide whether to refocus EU action or terminate the operation. This has been a successful mission for the Irish Defence Forces. I am not aware of what the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said here during Question Time recently.

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