Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important matter concerning the Defence Forces. As she is from Newbridge in County Kildare, she knows more about the Defence Forces and has more contact with its members and their families than any other Member of the Oireachtas given her proximity to the Curragh. Her knowledge of the Defence Forces is vastly superior than that of most other Members.

The Government and people of Ireland are rightly proud of our peacekeepers. We have a long and distinguished history of peacekeeping in the United Nations. As the Senator pointed out, since 1958 not a day has passed that Irish peacekeepers were not on duty somewhere across the globe. That is the longest unbroken record of any nation in the world. For well over 60 years, Irish troops have been serving on peacekeeping missions in some country around the world every single day. No other country in the world can say that. We have tremendous expertise and we have gained great respect across the globe because of that service over the last 60 years.

At present, some 500 members of our Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána are serving overseas in four UN peacekeeping missions. Our troops currently in the field are playing their part in Ireland's proud and distinguished record of overseas service.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has been made aware in recent months of the challenges that some active and former members of the Defence Forces have experienced when applying for a United States visa waiver, also known as an ESTA, due to travel they have undertaken as part of their peacekeeping duties to Syria or other countries designated as countries of concern by the US Department of Homeland Security. People who travel to the United States can apply for an ESTA online and the process is very straightforward. However, where people have been in a country that is a matter of concern to the US authorities, including those who work in peacekeeping missions in some countries, it can raise a flag in the ESTA process.The Senator has acknowledged that US immigration rules and operations are matters solely for the relevant US authorities. The Department of Foreign Affairs is not in a position to intervene in decisions taken in relation to ESTA applications. However, officials from my Department have proactively engaged with the United States Embassy in Dublin on the implications of these rules for members of the Defence Forces who wish to visit the United States. As the ESTA process is managed entirely by the US Department of Homeland Security, the embassy here has no role in processing or approving these applications. However, the embassy has helpfully informed us that when applying for an ESTA, it is possible to seek an exemption when travelling to a listed country of concern, like Syria, for the purposes of military service on behalf of the Irish Government. We understand it is not possible to apply for an exemption once a refusal of an ESTA has been made. It is important to deal with that as part of the original application, and people may not have been aware of that. However, it is also important to note that these exemptions are granted at the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security and are not guaranteed.

Following on from these consultations, my Department prepared an information note for current and former Defence Forces personnel. This information note was shared with the Department of Defence last November, which in turn circulated it to members of the Defence Forces. The note sets out in more detail the options available to members of the Defence Forces who wish to travel to the United States. The Department of Defence will be able to share a copy of this note with any members of the Defence Forces, including any retired personnel, who wish to get more clarity on this matter.