Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for Defence the discussions he has had with EU-UN colleagues in the matter of ongoing or further deployment of the Defence Forces overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25044/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As stated earlier, Ireland is contributing 524 Defence Forces personnel to 11 missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are deployed, are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, with 454 personnel, and the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 12 personnel. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE. Personnel are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the European Union, the OSCE and NATO.

Ireland recently participated in the Nordic Battlegroup which was on stand-by from 1 January to 30 June. The other countries contributing to the battlegroup were Sweden, acting as the framework nation, Finland, Norway and Estonia. Our contribution was a reconnaissance company, together with staff posts at both the operational and force headquarters amounting to approximately 150 personnel.

Ireland is committed to participation in the Austro-German-led battlegroup which will be on stand-by for the second six months of 2012. Other contributors to that battlegroup are Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Ireland's contribution to the battlegroup will again be a reconnaissance company.

The total of 524 Defence Forces personnel serving overseas represents a significant contribution to international peacekeeping operations and the obligations Ireland has assumed through its membership of the United Nations. The recent deployment to UNIFIL has significantly increased the number of troops serving overseas, compared to the numbers serving in more recent times.

For the information of the House, I will be attending an informal meeting of EU Ministers for Defence which will be held in Wroclaw, Poland both tomorrow and Friday. For part of the day tomorrow I will also be attending a meeting of European Justice Ministers which is taking place in Brussels. On leaving Poland I will return to Brussels for the completion of that meeting. At this meeting I will have the opportunity to have discussions with the other EU Ministers for Defence and the operation and mission commanders of the main EU operations, including Colonel Michael Beary of the Irish Defence Forces. As mentioned earlier, Colonel Beary became mission commander of EUTM Somalia on 9 August - the European Union's mission to train Somali security forces in Uganda. Seven members of the Defence Forces are serving with this mission. The fact that Colonel Beary was named as mission commander is a clear illustration of the high esteem with which the Defence Forces are held at United Nations level. In advance of him being so appointed, I was engaged in discussions on the appointment being made at the request of the United Nations.

In addition, the Department constantly reviews the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas. However, following the deployment to UNIFIL and given the current straitened financial circumstances, it is not anticipated that there will be any major similar deployments in the foreseeable future.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. We can join him in congratulating the Defence Forces, particularly given the high esteem in which they are held and the manner in which they discharge their duties worldwide. Notwithstanding the straitened economic circumstances in which we find ourselves, would it be helpful, given their experience, to, at least, keep open the prospect of meeting other deployment requirements that might arise from time to time, lest in the current economic climate the Defence Forces would not be as available as they otherwise would be? I know that is a Government decision and I respect that. However, I ask the Minister to keep in mind the necessity in order to have well-equipped and sharp Defence Forces and to have them on regular duty of that nature.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I assure the Deputy that is the case. I mentioned earlier that we have up to 850 members of the Defence Forces who could be deployed abroad. I was merely making the case that as we have in excess of 450 in Lebanon, we do not have the capacity to send a similar large number abroad. Clearly, if we receive a request from the United Nations to participate in other missions or to deploy small numbers of members of the Defence Forces in circumstances where there is a real contribution to be made to peacekeeping or peace enforcement, the Government retains an open mind on such deployments and does not rule them out as a possibility.

Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I agree with Deputy Durkan that the Defence Forces are the victim of their own compliance. I am from a garrison town and my grandfather was a sergeant major in the Army. I know there is great concern about the number of non-commissioned officers who are above the age of 40. We must ensure that members of the Defence Forces are not too old to travel overseas.

According to the White Paper, the complement of the Defence Forces should be 10,500. It is now down to 9,500. I have serious concerns that the number will be reduced further. I would like the Minister to comment on this.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am anxious to ensure, in the difficult financial circumstances in which we find ourselves, that the Defence Forces retain their operational capabilities to contribute to international peacekeeping missions and to participate in providing assistance to the civil power when that is necessary, such as during the type of climatic emergencies we saw in the past 12 months. It is part of my objective to ensure, in so far as is possible, that we maintain levels of personnel in or about the current numbers. I am anxious to ensure we do not go below the 9,500 figure that is the position at present. In that context, an overall review is being undertaken as to how we can utilise resources most efficiently for the benefit of the Defence Forces to ensure no funding is wasted which results in no value for the expenditure, how we might ensure the Defence Forces operate with the maximum efficiency, and how best we might use the training received by members of the Defence Forces. That is part of the overall financial review being conducted in which we are looking at all aspects of Defence Forces expenditure. We may have choices between spending money on the maintenance of buildings and reducing numbers within the Defence Forces or between retaining numbers and making decisions that require other efficiencies. These are all matters under consideration at present. No final decisions have been made by Cabinet but they are under active consideration.

I share the Deputy's concern that numbers should not fall below 9,500. I welcome her concern and those of Deputies Durkan and Stanton, who expressed similar views. I am not trying to make a party political point. I think Deputies Calleary and O'Brien are probably of a similar view.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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The Minister might record my name among them.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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And Deputy Naughten, whom I did not intend to leave off the list.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Nothing gets past Deputy Naughten.

Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Minister did not answer my question about the age of non-commissioned officers.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I referred previously to the fact that more than 200 Defence Forces personnel were recruited during the course of this year. It is vital to ensure a degree of age balance. There is intake into the Defence Forces, bearing in mind the number of retirements that occur. A definitive decision has not been taken nor the numbers finalised, but I think it likely that there will be some additional recruitment to the Defence Forces before the end of this year.