Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Defence the statutory authorisation required in respect of non-UN overseas missions in which the Defence Forces participate, as listed on the Defence Forces website; if none was required, the reason therefor; if authorisation was required, the method by which it was given; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6695/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Defence Forces participate in two main types of overseas missions, namely, traditional UN-led "Blue Hat" missions and UN-authorised missions, where the mission is established under the authority of the UN Security Council or the General Assembly of the UN. These two types of missions are represented on the Defence Forces website as UN and non-UN missions respectively. In both instances, the provisions relating to the dispatch of a contingent of the Defence Forces for overseas service are laid down in the Defence Acts, which require that the mission must be authorised by the UN, approved by Government and, where the contingent is armed and exceeds 12 members, approved by way of a resolution of the House.

With regard to authorised missions listed in the Defence Forces website to which a contingent of the permanent Defence Force was-is deployed, for example, Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe, OSCE, verification mission in Kosovo, SFOR, KFOR, INTERFET, ISAF, UNMIL and EUFOR, Government and Dáil approval, as appropriate, were obtained and the mission was authorised by the UN. Apart from these larger missions, at any given time, small numbers of personnel are deployed overseas in an administrative, staff, observer or advisory capacity on other missions, none of which are armed operations. These include missions under the auspices of the OSCE, the European Union Monitor Mission, EUMM, to the former Yugoslavia and other military appointments in Europe. Such assignments, which are voluntary, do not require statutory authorisation.

Defence Forces personnel have also been deployed on humanitarian missions in support of NGOs or with other international organisations. The recent deployment of a small number of personnel to the UN joint logistics co-ordination centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is an example of such a mission. Defence Forces regulations provide that volunteer members of the Permanent Defence Force can be seconded to such undertakings by the Minister for Defence, with their agreement and with the consent of the Minister for Finance, for periods of up to one year.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Minister gives lengthy replies to parliamentary questions and I often find it difficult to pick up the main point. Members of the Defence Forces serve overseas on 19 non-UN missions, according to the Defence Forces website, including the KFOR and SFOR missions, which involve more than 1,400 personnel. How can the Minister assert that the Defence Forces cannot travel abroad, even for training purposes, without EU and UN authorisation when history proves the contrary?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is mistaken. There are two types of operations, which might involve Irish troops going abroad. There are traditional UN-led operations, where the UN organises the mission and approaches its members to supply troops. However, there are also UN-authorised operations, where other bodies such as the EU, NATO or the Organisation of African States put the team together, having been authorised by the Security Council or the General Assembly. The issue is whether the operation is led by or authorised by the UN. Currently, our commitment abroad under traditional UN "Blue Hat" operations, the most significant of which is in Liberia, comprises 466 troops while under UN-authorised operations, 268 troops are deployed abroad. Another 36 members of the Defence Forces have volunteered to work on various military missions with my sanction and the consent of the Minister for Finance. The primary deployment relates to UN-led or UN-authorised operations, in other words, an operation constituted by the UN from among its constituent members or an operation put together by another group such as NATO or the EU at the request of the UN.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Is the Minister saying the UN does not establish these missions but they are authorised by the UN? How can he reconcile that distinction with the wording of the Defence Acts, which defines a UN mission as one established by the Security Council?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The missions conform perfectly with the Defence Acts. The interpretation of successive Attorneys General is that the word "established" in the Acts covers the scenario where the UN decides that a mission must be deployed abroad but regards it as more appropriate to ask the EU, NATO or the Organisation of African States to undertake it rather than put it together itself. The advice is the word "established" covers both scenarios.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Defence if Irish participation in EU battlegroups will be limited to the Petersberg Tasks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6692/05]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will reform the triple lock mechanism which governs the deployment of contingents of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6741/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which the formation and participation in European battlegroups has evolved; if he will outline his perception regarding the way in which the logistics will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6710/05]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Defence if Ireland will participate in EU-led groups that can intervene in a rapid manner to prevent the loss of life; the circumstances under which such participation may take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6729/05]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Defence if military operations carried out by an EU battlegroup on the authority of the UN Security Council falls within the definition of a UN peacekeeping force for the purposes of the State's triple lock mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6693/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 82, 90, 92, 93 and 107 together.

The background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as battlegroups, is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999, member states set themselves a headline goal that by the year 2003, co-operating together and voluntarily, they would be able to deploy rapidly and then sustain forces capable of the full range of Petersberg Tasks, as set out in the Amsterdam Treaty. The EU has learnt from historical experiences in the Balkans and Africa and wants to be able to react faster when crises develop. That was effectively illustrated last year by the EU's first autonomous military operation, which was conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The operation, which was undertaken at the request of the United Nations Secretary General and deployed very rapidly, was successful in contributing to the stabilisation of the security environment and the improvement of humanitarian conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kofi Annan also stressed its importance during his recent visit to Dublin. Deputies will also recall that, in his address to the Forum on Europe on 14 October, he specifically welcomed the development of EU capabilities in the context of European security and defence policy and stressed how important strengthened EU capacities, in particular rapid deployment capabilities, are to the UN. He also highlighted Ireland's pivotal role during our Presidency of the European Union in promoting co-operation between the EU and the United Nations in crisis management and in particular the potential use of EU rapid response elements to support UN peacekeeping operations.

Regarding the other part of the question, I can confirm that the activities of those troops will be confined to the Petersberg Tasks, which are essentially humanitarian, including rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management.

One must bear in mind that the Defence Forces are currently in Liberia on a UN operation, in Kosovo on a NATO-led operation, and in Bosnia on an EU-led operation, and that rapid response elements are but one aspect of EU capabilities to assist in crisis management.

The rapid response concept raises many issues, not only for Ireland but also for other EU member states. Once again, I stress that the question of Ireland's participation in rapid response elements will remain subject to the usual requirements of a Government decision, Dáil approval and UN authorisation.

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I know that the Minister has said it, but is the Government's position still that our international commitment will be confined to the Petersberg Tasks, with a UN mandate necessary? Perhaps I might quote from the Petersberg Tasks, and Missions for the EU Military Forces. Of Article 17.2 of the Treaty on European Union it states the following.

Questions referred to in this Article shall include humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister agree there is a great deal of confusion regarding Ireland's possible participation in battle groups and the EU constitution and common defence policy? Notwithstanding the fact that Fine Gael fundamentally disagrees with the Government's archaic policy of the triple lock, does he agree that it is very important that the message gets out into the public domain that membership of the battle groups is nothing more than having a more efficient mechanism to deal with UN missions than that which we have currently?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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In reply to Deputy Sherlock, the answer to both questions is "Yes". It is our policy that the UN mandate will continue to be required. Second, activities are confined to the Petersberg Tasks, the definition of which has been expanded somewhat recently. Essentially, they are humanitarian, involving peacekeeping, rescue operations and crisis management, including peacemaking.

Deputy Timmins disagrees with the "archaic triple lock". He probably knows this, but I must point out the obvious, that Fine Gael is completely at odds with its potential coalition partners, particularly the Greens and the Labour Party.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As are Fianna Fáil with the Progressive Democrats.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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It will be very interesting to see how they square that circle come the next general election. The Government is firmly committed to the triple lock, which is and will remain the lodestone of its policy on foreign commitments.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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For now.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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It is the case as far as this Government is concerned, which will be with us for many a long day.

Written answers follow Adjournment Debate.