Results 1-20 of 94 for operation sophia

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (11 Apr 2019)

Paul Kehoe: As outlined in my response to the Parliamentary Question earlier this month to which you refer, Operation Sophia has played a decisive role in improving the overall maritime security in the Central Mediterranean. Operation Sophia is primarily a security operation, designed to disrupt the traffickers business model and counter oil and weapons smuggling, rather than a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Operations (17 Dec 2019)

Paul Kehoe: In relation to Operation Sophia, the Irish Naval Service has not deployed Naval Service vessels to this mission since November 2018. Defence Forces personnel continue to occupy three posts in the Operational Headquarters of the Operation Sophia mission in Rome. The EU Naval Mission, Operation Sophia, is primarily a security operation, designed to disrupt the traffickers business model...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Nov 2018) See 4 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: ...100% that it is a military mission, but it is also a UN mandated mission. When we joined PESCO, which I brought to Cabinet and to the House. Members of this House voted democratically to join Operation Sophia. It totally changed the mission in which we were participating under Operation Pontus. Operation Sophia specifically seeks to counter human trafficking and smuggling in the...

Other Questions: Naval Service Operations (24 Jan 2018) See 7 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 30 and 32 together. The European Union common security and defence policy Operation Sophia against human smugglers and traffickers is one element of an EU comprehensive approach to the migration crisis in the south central Mediterranean. Operation Sophia was launched in June 2015 as part of the European Union's broader action to provide a comprehensive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Naval Service Operations (10 May 2018) See 6 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: As I outlined in my original reply, there are other facets to Operation Sophia in which members of the Irish Naval Service participate. As I stated at the committee meeting last week, I intend to visit the headquarters of Operation Sophia within the next month or two, when I will get a full update on our involvement and the involvement of other participants in Operation Sophia. Ireland is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (14 Jun 2018) See 1 other result from this answer

Paul Kehoe: In July 2017, Government and Dáil approval was secured for the deployment of an Irish Naval Service vessel as part of Operation Sophia. Irish naval vessel L.É. Niamh subsequently deployed on 6 October 2017 to join Operation Sophia and returned on 20 December 2017. The participation by L.É. Niamh in Operation Sophia represented the first involvement by the Naval Service in a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Common Security and Defence Policy (15 Sep 2020)

Simon Coveney: ...peacekeeping and conflict prevention missions and to strengthen international security in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.  The EU is currently involved in 17 CSDP missions and operations, of these six are military, and 11 are civilian. Ireland is an active participant in both civilian and military CSDP Missions, with civilian deployments a matter for the...

Other Questions: Defence Forces Operations (18 Oct 2017) See 7 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: Operation Sofia, like Operation Pontus, allows us to bring migrants to the coast of Italy. We have the authorisation and permission of the Italian authorities to bring any migrants picked up in Operation Sophia there. This is a UN mandated mission. The Naval Service has yet to be given full operation tasks involving the rescuing of people. People have been brought safely to port or...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (8 Mar 2018)

Paul Kehoe: ...and Dáil approval was secured for the deployment of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force to serve as part of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy naval mission in the Mediterranean, Operation Sophia. Irish Naval vessel L.É. Niamh, subsequently deployed to the Mediterranean from October to December 2017. In the course of its deployment in Operation Sophia last...

Defence Forces Operations: Motion (12 Jul 2017) See 4 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: Earlier this year, following discussions with the Defence Forces general staff, I asked the Deputy Chief of Staff and the Naval Service Flag Officer to visit the headquarters for Operation Sophia to meet the commanding officer and report back to me. The subsequent advice and recommendation received from the Defence Forces general staff was that we should participate in Operation Sophia, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Data (13 Feb 2018) See 1 other result from this answer

Paul Kehoe: The additional costs incurred from the deployment of Naval Service vessels to the Mediterranean under Operation Pontus and Operation Sophia comprise the costs of allowances, fuel and other ancillary costs.  Details of these costs and the numbers of Naval Service personnel deployed in the Mediterranean for each of the last three years are set out in the following table. YEAR...

Defence Forces Operations: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2017) See 7 other results from this debate

Séamus Healy: The Naval Service is participating in Operation Pontus as part of a bilateral agreement with the Italian Government. Operation Pontus is a purely humanitarian mission rescuing migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean. To date, the Naval Service has saved approximately 16,800 migrants. The Government's proposal to participate in Operation Sophia, which is supported by only eight of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Data (28 Jun 2018)

Paul Kehoe: In July 2017, Government and Dáil approval was secured for the deployment of an Irish Naval Service vessel as part of Operation Sophia. Irish naval vessel L.É. Niamh subsequently deployed on 6 October 2017 to join Operation Sophia and returned on 20 December 2017.  The participation by L.É. Niamh in Operation Sophia represented the first involvement by the Naval...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Overseas Missions (12 Dec 2017) See 1 other result from this answer

Paul Kehoe: The EU Common Security and Defence Policy naval operation EUNAVFOR MED (Operation Sophia), against human smugglers and traffickers, is one element of a comprehensive approach to addressing the migration crisis in the South Central Mediterranean. Operation Sophia was launched in June 2015 as part of the EU’s broader action to provide a comprehensive response to the global migration and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (23 Jan 2018)

Paul Kehoe: The deployment of Irish Naval vessels to the Mediterranean to engage in humanitarian search and rescue tasks as part of Operation Pontus from 2015 to 2017, was an important element in Ireland's response to the migration crisis in the Mediterranean. Overall, 17,509 migrants were rescued under Operation Pontus and details are out in the table below. Year Deployed Naval vessel Persons ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Defence and Related Matters (26 Apr 2018) See 12 other results from this debate

Gabrielle McFadden: ...Seanad Chamber at 11 a.m. We are here today to discuss matters raised at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on defence and related matters. I refer to the Minister of State's opening statement on Operation Sophia. That work epitomises all that the Defence Forces stand for. The Minister of State spoke of 640 personnel who are serving overseas. How many of those are serving with Operation...

Seanad: Naval Service Deployment: Statements (13 Jul 2017) See 9 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: I welcome the opportunity to address the deployment of the Naval Service to Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean. Following a Government decision, the Dáil today approved Defence Forces participation in the UN-mandated EU naval mission, Operation Sophia. The Dáil decision completes the final part of the triple lock procedure, as Members are aware. Earlier this year, following...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Operations (2 Apr 2019) See 1 other result from this answer

Maureen O'Sullivan: 70. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the increasing criticism of Operation Sophia; his further views on its perceived relative failure to rescue lives in comparison to previous operations in the Mediterranean Sea; his views on its complicity in returning persons in circumstances in which there is clear evidence of torture of detainees; when he will make a decision on...

Topical Issue Debate: Naval Service Operations (24 Apr 2018) See 3 other results from this debate

Paul Kehoe: I thank Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan for raising this important. An Irish Naval Service vessel first deployed in the Mediterranean in May 2015 in Operation Pontus, a humanitarian search and rescue mission undertaken as part of a bilateral arrangement with Italian authorities. In the three years since that first deployment, the Naval Service of the Irish Defence Forces has rescued more than...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation: Motion (6 Dec 2017)

Paul Kehoe: ...We participate in the European Defence Agency, EDA. I spoke last week about EDA projects and the committee and the Dáil cleared them. I am sure the Deputy is aware that we are participating in Operation Sophia. The maritime surveillance, and the project mentioned there, will assist in Operation Sophia and the work we do there.