Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Defence the outcome of the investigation being carried out by the Defence Forces into allegations that members may have been working for private security firms in the Seychelles and possibly involved in the purchase of arms; if any new changes in regulations have been introduced as a result of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47257/10]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will describe the updating of the Defence Forces policy on off duty employment for certain Permanent Defence Forces personnel recently announced by the Chief of Staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47277/10]

Deputies:

I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 61 together.

Deputies:

The military authorities have completed an investigation into allegations that Defence Forces personnel were involved in the use of Irish Defence Forces' equipment in the Seychelles and that Defence Forces regulations were breached. The Chief of Staff has recently reported to me in this regard. The Chief of Staff has confirmed that of the five personnel against whom allegations were made, two are currently serving members of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, and three are former members. I am advised that the investigation found no evidence to support the suggestion that Defence Forces equipment was utilised in any of the alleged activities, nor was there any evidence found of any illegal arms purchases or sales. In addition, the investigation undertaken by the military authorities indicates that Defence Forces regulations were not breached.

Deputies:

During the course of the investigation, I received a letter from the Seychelles' Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff received a letter from that country's Chief of Defence. Both letters indicated that any arms purchased for their state forces were fully legitimate and are in service by authorised Seychelles Government security personnel. In addition, the letters confirmed that Irish Defence Forces personnel only provided and facilitated lawful services for the Government of the Seychelles and in doing so made a significant contribution to the welfare and safety of the country. The letters also indicated that the character of Irish personnel who assisted in training their State police force were of the highest order.

Deputies:

While the investigation found that Defence Force regulations had not been breached, having considered the report, the Chief of Staff concluded that because of the nature of the specialist training required for certain military employment, it is not compatible with service in the PDF for such training and skills to be employed outside of the PDF. In this context he has updated the Defence Forces policy on off-duty employment to provide, inter alia, that PDF personnel cannot undertake off duty employment that utilises the specific military training they acquire as part of their service in the PDF.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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I wish to sound a note of relief that the members and former members of the Defence Forces were found to be not guilty of any wrongdoing in respect of this matter. As a result of this investigation, the reputation of the Defence Forces stands intact. The Minister indicated that the policy relating to the activities in which members of the Defence Forces can become involved in the context of off-duty employment has been revised. Will he expand on the position in this regard?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Deputies will be aware that members of the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána are frequently involved in capacity-building exercises in support of Governments in several countries. Heretofore, their work in this regard has been done with the approval of the military authorities. With regard to exercises involving more than 12 personnel, the approval of the United Nations and Dáil Éireann is required. The activities carried out in support of the training of personnel on behalf of the Government of the Seychelles did not come under the ambit of the system to which I refer. I understand the military authorities formed the view that, in this instance, the activities to which I refer appear to have been entirely positive in nature. All available evidence certainly points to this being the case. Nevertheless, it was decided that the regulations should be amended to ensure that regardless of how positive in nature they might be, activities of the kind which occurred in this instance would not be undertaken by serving members of the PDF who would be obliged to use the skills they acquired during their training as military personnel.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Does this mean that if prior approval is sought and obtained, members can be given permission to take part in the type of activity in question?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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In a sense, there is a distinction. In the instance in question, the regulations were not breached. However, it was felt that these regulations needed to be stronger. The part of the regulations to which I refer relates to individual members of the Defence Forces rather than to the organised overseas deployment of personnel which have occurred on many occasions. As I understand it, the amendment of the regulations relates to the obligations placed on individual members and does not provide for the wider context to which Deputy O'Shea refers.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister aware of any other instance where activity of this kind is either taking place now or has occurred in the recent past?

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I am not so aware. However, I inquired with regard to when the regulations were last amended. I understand that members of the Defence Forces had been involved in various private enterprise operations - including in the vicinity of nightclubs - and that some issues arose as a result. On foot of this, the relevant regulations were amended several years ago. I am not aware of any current instances involving the type of activity under discussion.