Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for overseas missions involving Irish military personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31566/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has offered, through the United Nations Standby Arrangements System, UNSAS, to provide up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to some 10% of Ireland's standing Army, excluding reserves, and demonstrates Ireland's commitment to the cause of international peace. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations.

Ireland is currently contributing 524 Defence Forces personnel to 11 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement. I have detailed the missions in replies to previous parliamentary questions.

The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed, are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, with 454 personnel; the NATO-led International Security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo with 12 personnel; the EU Training Mission, EUTM, Somalia with five personnel;the EU-led operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with seven personnel;the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, in Afghanistan with seven personnel.

From time to time, Ireland receives requests for participation in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. When considering any particular request, the existence of realistic objectives and a clear mandate which has the potential to contribute to a political solution, consideration of how the mission relates to the priorities of Irish foreign policy and the degree of risk involved, are among the factors considered.

Apart from the recent deployment of a battalion to UNIFIL and the appointment of Colonel Michael Beary in August 2011 to the post of mission commander for EUTM Somalia, no other deployments are planned or envisaged at this time.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Has Deputy Pringle a question?

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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No.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Boyd Barrett has obviously lost interest in peacekeeping missions. At least he is interested in the welfare of members of the Defence Forces

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There must be a protest.