Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

 The Army Ranger Wing, ARW, is the special operations force of the Defence Forces and is part of the capabilities available to the State to be deployed in support of our national security and overseas peace support operations. 

MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali, is authorised under Chapter VII of the UN Charter by the UN Security Council. It is a significant UN peace enforcement mission comprising both regular and special operations forces and high-end capabilities. 

Ireland currently has 20 Defence Forces personnel deployed to the EU training mission in Mali. Potential overseas missions are considered by the Department and the Defence Forces on an ongoing basis having regard to available resources and international peacekeeping requirements.

The question of deploying Defence Forces personnel to support the UN mission in Mali - MINUSMA - has been under consideration for some time, as the Deputy said. Recently, the option of deploying a small contingent of Army Ranger Wing personnel to MINUSMA as part of a larger special operations force within the mission, arose and it is under active consideration. The Department and the Defence Forces are in the early information gathering stage in considering this mission. It involves obtaining detailed information on the mission and its operations, consideration of the possible role the Defence Forces may be able to undertake on the mission, how such a deployment would fit with Defence Forces capabilities having regard to existing and potential commitments at home and overseas and a detailed threat analysis and assessment of the area. This process is ongoing. On foot of the respective military and policy advice arising from this process, I will consider the matter.  I emphasise that no decision has been made as of now to participate in the mission.

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