Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have an extraordinarily long reply and the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will have to stop me halfway through it. However, I will do my best.

EUTM Somalia which was launched on 7 April 2010 has been deployed to provide military training for members of the Somali national armed forces so as to increase their capability to ensure the sovereignty and security of the Somali state. The mission is part of the European Union’s long-term strategy for the Horn of Africa. EUTM Somalia has contributed to the training of approximately 3,600 Somali soldiers to date. On 22 January 2013 the European Council adopted a decision extending the mandate of EUTM Somalia until March 2015. The new EUTM Somalia mandate involves a significant change of focus of the mission, including moving all elements of the mission from Uganda to Somalia. In December 2013 all training concluded in Uganda. The mission achieved a major milestone on 1 February 2014 when the mission commander, Brigadier General Gerald Aherne, declared full operating capability in Mogadishu. The current mandate will continue until 31 March 2015. Implementation of the mandate in Somalia is facing several challenges, including security in Mogadishu, where the position remains unstable.

Following Government approval, five Defence Forces personnel were deployed in April 2010 to the EU-led training mission, EUTM Somalia, providing a training team and certain staff posts.

Ireland took over operational command of the mission in August 2011, with the appointment of Colonel Michael Beary of the Defence Forces as mission commander, and deployed additional staff to support the role of mission commander. Brigadier General Gerald Aherne succeeded Colonel Beary and took up the appointment of mission commander on 1 February 2013. At the end of last month Brigadier General Gerald Aherne handed over command of the mission to his successor, Brigadier General Massimo Mingiardi of Italy, who attended the recent meeting of EU defence Ministers to brief us on the mission.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Brigadier General Beary and Brigadier General Aherne for their outstanding contribution to the success of the mission and to wish the new force commander well. Ireland currently has six personnel serving with the mission, which reduces from 11 the numbers we have there, because the remaining personnel would have supported the mission commander when our Defence Forces had command of the mission.

See this speech in context