Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I know that, but that mission was under our direct command, whereas we delegated operational control under Operation Sophia. The nature of the mission changed and that is where circumstances changed. It is good that when it was decided under Operation Sophia to stop doing search and rescue completely, we withdrew ships. However, this amendment would mean that if we had a situation such as Operation Sophia and the force command, to which the power had been transferred, decided to change the focus of the operation, including what it was doing and prioritising, there would be an opportunity for the Oireachtas to express concern about the continuation of that mission where, as in this instance, it was not a UN mission and was not operating under UN parameters.

It is appropriate that we should have that capacity. I am glad there is a line command mechanism for the expression of concern but it is reasonable that the Legislature would also have a mechanism for expressing concern. I may bring forward amendments on Report Stage if the Minister does not want to have to seek the approval of the Oireachtas. We should have mechanisms whereby the Oireachtas can express concern, in a similar way to what we have heard happens internally in the Department, where there are issues regarding the continuation of a mission. Whether it is a matter of the Minister coming to us or our being able to request that he or she come to us, it is something that needs to be addressed. We have been discussing examples of UN missions but that is not what is in contention. The issue is the other, wider parameters applying, as the Minister said, to international forces, which may be any force. If we had addressed that core issue of being clear on exactly what kinds of international forces are in question, most of these other concerns would not arise. Given that the provision is so widely framed, we need to have an additional safeguard in place. I will bring forward another version of this amendment that specifically excludes UN missions but requests that there be a mechanism in respect of other missions.