Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have no plans to withdraw. The primary aim of our Partnership for Peace membership is to enhance the Defence Forces' interoperability with other professional military forces for the purpose of engaging in UN authorised peacekeeping and peace support operations led by the UN, EU or NATO. Participation in Partnership for Peace is fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN.

This partnership has assisted Ireland in participating in more demanding peacekeeping operations, such as the UN mission to Liberia, the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, and EUFOR Chad. Ireland is also successfully acting as a framework nation in KFOR. That is the reason I and some of my officials plan to attend the PfP meeting on 8 and 9 July. I really believe this will be beneficial to the Defence Forces in interoperability and in being able to look at the way other states operate.

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