Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ireland’s active engagement in EU battle groups demonstrates our commitment to the development of EU capabilities in the area of crisis management and contributes to our overall credibility within the Union. It enhances our capacity to influence the ongoing development and evolution of the rapid response capacity of the EU, in particular, the role battle groups can play in reinforcing and acting as a strategic reserve for UN operations.

It also supports the development of rapid deployment skills and capabilities within the Defence Forces, together with improved interoperability with like-minded states. Our participation reflects our support for the UN where successive Secretaries General of the UN have endorsed the development of the EU battle group concept and Ireland's participation therein.

At an individual level, personnel who partake in the EU battle group are afforded a unique opportunity to train alongside EU defence personnel, an opportunity that should be seized upon.

The allowances that will be paid will be in line with duties being carried out by personnel participating in the EU battle group. It is important to note that Ireland has previously participated in the Nordic battle groups in 2008, 2011 and 2015, the UK-led EU battle group in 2016 and the German-led battle groups in 2012, 2016 and in 2020. In these cases no new allowances applied.

I can confirm that the following allowances and payments will apply to EU battle group 2025: personnel in receipt of technical pay will retain their technical pay for the duration of the tour of duty with EUBG 2024-25, once posted into a technical appointment; security duty allowance, at the appropriate rate, which is paid up to and including captain rank, will be paid for the duration of the stand-by period, that is, January 2025 to the end of December 2025, when personnel are on standby in barracks; personnel attached or posted to EUBG 2024-25 that are currently in receipt of border duty allowance will retain this allowance during the stand-up period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024; while engaged in multinational certification exercises off-island, personnel will be entitled to the daily course allowance; and in the event that personnel are operationally deployed, as part of the EUBG 2024-25, armed overseas peace support allowance will apply.

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