Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 94: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has received a report from the members of the Defence Forces working with the UN joint logistical co-ordination centre in Sri Lanka; if he will report on their findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1534/05]

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 117: To ask the Minister for Defence the details of the proposed deployment of Irish troops to Sri Lanka to assist in the humanitarian operation there following the St. Stephen's Day 2004 tsunami; the number of troops that will be sent to Sri Lanka; the type of activities they will be involved in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1495/05]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 123: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on participation by members of the Defence Forces in the humanitarian assistance effort in Sri Lanka; if the Defence Forces may be sent to other areas in Asia affected by the tsunami; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1522/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 136: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the findings of the military officials on the Government technical team that visited the tsunami-affected region, and on the present and future role of the IDF in the tsunami humanitarian relief effort. [1515/05]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 1268: To ask the Minister for Defence if troops and back-up services will be supplied to the victims of the tsunami crisis under the guidance of the UN. [34583/04]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 117, 123, 136 and 1268 together.

As I stated in response to an earlier question on this issue, the Government is strongly committed to providing whatever support it can within available resources and capabilities, including the provision of Defence Forces personnel, to the humanitarian relief operation in south-east Asia following the recent tsunami disaster. As soon as the scale of the disaster became clear, the Department of Foreign Affairs deployed a high-level technical assessment team, which included a member of the Defence Forces, to examine the situation on the ground and to identify the assistance Ireland could offer to the affected region. Arising from its initial assessment, the team advised the Department of Foreign Affairs of an immediate requirement to attach two logistics planning experts and two engineers to the United Nations joint logistics centre.

After I consulted with my colleagues, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Finance, I agreed to the secondment, with effect from 18 January 2005, of four officers of the Permanent Defence Force on a volunteer basis to the United Nations joint logistics centre in Colombo in Sri Lanka. As the officers have just been deployed to the area, no detailed reports have been received to date, other than a situational report of their arrival and operational arrangements. It is important to note that the officers' primary role is not to report on further areas in which Ireland can be of assistance, but to report to the joint logistics centre, following a detailed analysis of key priorities within their fields of expertise.

The role of the logistics officers will be to evaluate, on behalf of the United Nations joint logistics centre, the current and future transport requirements in the affected areas for the delivery of humanitarian aid and to recommend solutions to overcome identified shortfalls. The role of the engineers will be to examine the road infrastructure in the affected areas, to specify the rehabilitation and repair requirements and to establish repair priorities, thereby restoring a functioning transport network in the area. It is expected that the officers will have completed their work in six to eight weeks.

The technical assessment team has only just returned. Preliminary field reports were received from the team and it is now examining in detail the needs in the affected areas in terms of an overall humanitarian assistance and development programme. Once it has completed its analysis and submitted its formal report and recommendations, the latter will be examined by the Government to determine further and ongoing responses to the situation in the region.

It is not possible at this stage to state whether further troops will be deployed to the region. The assessment team has advised that a request for a further small number of logistics planners may be pending. However, I have received no further formal requests for Defence Forces assistance. As Deputies will appreciate, this is an evolving situation and, as such, I am not in a position to advise as to what requests may arise over the coming weeks and months.

I assure Deputies that the Government is very positively disposed towards supporting the relief effort in the affected areas to the greatest possible extent. In the event that the Defence Forces have the capacity and resources to offer further required assistance in the region in specified roles, this will be examined on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the requirements and the situation on the ground.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Does the Minister know if the Government intends to increase the funding it has allocated to the disaster area?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To the best of my knowledge, the funding has been increased at least twice. The Minister for Finance has advised us that there is still capacity to increase the emergency fund that is used in such circumstances. No decision has been made on this as yet but we will examine the question when the technical assessment group issues its final report to us.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Referring to Question No. 117, will the Minister provide the House with details on the proposed deployment of Irish troops to Sri Lanka to assist in the humanitarian operation in the wake of the tsunami that occurred on St. Stephen's Day 2004? If troops are deployed, what will be the nature of their involvement?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The reply was contained in my response to Deputy Timmins. We are dealing with the sovereign governments of three countries in the region, not just a single unit. We have deployed the military personnel that were requested of us. It has been indicated to us by the team of the Minister for Foreign Affairs that a small number of further logistics experts of the same type may be required. If so, the Government will consider any request in this regard very positively. As yet, we have had no request to supply ground troops or specialist troops.