Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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128. To ask the Minister for Defence if Ireland has received, or expects to receive, any request for the Defence Forces to participate in any mission to Libya; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11642/15]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the political situation in Libya, we are currently aware that there are peace talks taking place in Morocco with a view to bringing about the creation of a government and national unity. In this context, there has been much speculation that the UN might ask the EU under the common security and defence policy to send in a force to support the peace initiative. Has Ireland received any request or does the Minister anticipate a request to be received in this regard?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The straight answer is that Ireland has not received any request. The honest answer is that I do not know if we will receive a request in the future. That would be two or three steps away from where we are now. We need to achieve political stability in Libya first and the European Union is very engaged through a special representative there in trying to achieve this. If agreement can be reached on a government of national unity in Libya, such a government may need assistance in terms of bedding down and stabilising the governing structure. The UN will be engaged in this process, as will the EU. It is only when this happens that we will be asked to look seriously, as a member state of the EU, at how we can support this. There have been suggestions of sending an EU mission there. There have also been suggestions that the Nordic battle group could be asked to be part of this and so on. These are very much suggestions which are made in the absence of two or three decisions which need to happen first.

I do not anticipate a request to send troops there in the immediate future. However, if we are requested to do so, and if other European countries are so requested, we will consider the request on its merits. We will go through the usual consideration process. As Deputy Ó Fearghaíl knows, before Irish troops can go anywhere, we will have to go through the triple-lock mechanism which will involve an opportunity for discussion and debate in this House.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I do not want to detain the Minister unduly on this matter but, given the IS threat in Libya and the dangerous nature of the Golan Heights mission, has he any overview of or concern about the situation? Is he in a position, even at this early stage, to indicate whether he would recommend participation by the Defence Forces were such a request to come to the Government?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is far too early to say that. We would have to go through a detailed threat and risk assessment before I would recommend sending troops anywhere to the Government. We are not even close to being at that stage. If the request were to come, we would take it seriously. Libya’s situation is complex.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Yes.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It is a tragic story. We would like to do anything we can to assist in stabilising the unstable environment in Libya, but sending troops is a major decision and we will not take it before conducting a thorough risk assessment and reverting to the Government and the House. We are thinking ahead a little too far, though. No request Has come through.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Okay.