Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

37. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if changes are planned to the Defence Forces' overseas missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28051/18]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State recently pulled some troops back and there has been movement in some of the recent missions in Syria and elsewhere. Will he outline the current position of our peacekeeping missions abroad?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As of 30 May 2018, Ireland is contributing 643 personnel to nine different missions across the globe. The main overseas missions on which Defence Forces personnel are deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, with 376 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, in Syria with 137 personnel.

On UNDOF, approximately 130 Defence Forces personnel are currently based in Camp Ziouani on the Israeli side of the area of separation. An additional eight personnel are based in UNDOF headquarters in Camp Faouar on the Syrian side of the area of separation. The planned phase 3 of the UN's intended redeployment of the mission to its full mission area, including to the Syrian side of the area of separation, is anticipated by September 2018. This involves a full return of military personnel, including the Irish contingent, to Camp Faouar.

The UNIFIL mission in Lebanon continues to represent Ireland's largest overseas deployment and on 22 May 2018 the Government approved the continued participation of the Defence Forces in UNIFIL for a further 12 months. Irish troops are serving as part of a joint Irish-Finnish battalion in UNIFIL. Since May 2015, the Finnish contingent has included an Estonian platoon comprising 36 personnel.

Both Finland and Estonia will withdraw from the Irish-Finnish Battalion in UNIFIL on 31 December 2018. I am currently considering the option to temporarily replace the Finnish contingent by increasing Ireland's contribution to UNIFIL for a 12-month period - up to November 2019 - while we source an alternative partner.

The Naval Service vessel LÉ Samuel Beckettis currently deployed as part of Operation Sophia, the Common Security and Defence Policy, CSDP, operation in the Mediterranean. It will be replaced by LÉ James Joycein July. The Naval Service will deploy for a period of approximately 30 weeks in total to this mission in 2018. 

Other missions on which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the EU training mission in Mali, EUTM, with 20 personnel; the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina with five personnel and the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo with 12 personnel. Ireland also contributes observers and staff to various United Nations and OSCE missions and personnel to staff appointments at UN, EU, NATO - Partnership for Peace and OSCE headquarters. There are no planned changes to our continued participation in these missions at this time.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I also wish to mention the 60th anniversary which the Minister of State attended on Sunday. It is important that we recognise the 60 years of international peacekeeping work that Ireland has contributed.

On Syria, does the Minister of State expect all troops to return to camp this year? Will the Minister of State specifically outline the improvements that have happened to authorise this return and what has underpinned that?

Estonia and Finland are removing their troops from the Lebanon mission. Will the Minister of State explain why they have made that decision and what countries he expects to partner with Ireland? Can he update the House on the negotiations regarding future partnership countries with Ireland in the UN mission in Lebanon? The Minister of State mentioned a specific amount but does he anticipate that it might be greater in future? Will he outline which countries might join us there?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Following the significant events in August 2014 in the area of separation, troops on the UNDOF mission temporarily relocated to Camp Ziouani from a number of positions. Pending the full return of UNDOF to the area of separation, the mission has continued to maintain a credible presence in the Golan Heights in line with its mandate. The Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations, Major General Kieran Brennan, has visited the Syrian side of the UNDOF operation. With the completion of phase 3 , which included medevac and providing safety in the camp, ensuring we have the correct facilities in the Camp Faouar, we agreed to return. I expect that this will happen in September but that depends on ensuring that everything goes okay.

In the context of UNIFIL, the Defence Forces were serving as a joint battalion with the Finns and Estonians, who have pulled back for their own reasons and who are reducing their numbers on the mission. I hope that we will backfill for 12 months and that we will then get a new partner. I anticipate that this will be the Czech Republic and I have spoken to its Prime Minister and Chief of Staff in that regard.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I assume there will be further safety checks in Syria before the mission is authorised. Will the Minister of State confirm this? Will he outline who has had meetings with representatives from the Czech Republic? The Minister of State did not clarify why the Finnish and Estonian missions were pulled back. How advanced are the discussions regarding the Czech Republic partnering with Ireland on this specific UN mission?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The initial phase of the incremental return to the mission to Camp Faouar was completed in September 2016 and further deployment took place during 2017 so we have a number of troops there.

This involved the deployment of a Nepalese mechanised infantry company and elements of the force headquarters staff, including eight Irish Defence Forces officers. As I said, it is anticipated that the relocation of Irish personnel will be completed in September 2018 as further checks and balances are carried out to make sure our troops are safe.

As I have stated I am not sure of the exact reasons but, for their own personal reasons, the Finns and the Estonians have pulled out. I understand they have other missions in Africa. As with ourselves, perhaps they are pulling out because of numbers. It may be because of challenges in their own home countries. They have not pulled out as a result of any particular grievance against the UN mission or anything like that. I spoke to the Czech Minister at a recent European Council meeting. My officials are in contact with her officials in that regard. I also spoke to the Czech Chief of Staff when I was in the company of my own Chief of Staff at a recent overseas mission. The Czech Republic is looking at this very seriously. I understand and know that it cannot accommodate us during 2018, but it definitely will towards the end of 2019. That is one of the reasons we are going to backfill in 2019.