Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from the vice-president of PDFORRA that Defence Force personnel are being coerced into serving on overseas missions by their superiors while troops who have volunteered to serve are being overlooked; if there is a shortage of skilled troops to undertake tasks overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24240/04]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence if there has been a change in the principle of voluntarism for soldiers participating in international UN missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24284/04]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together.

The Defence (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1960 provides that an officer appointed or a man enlisted after the date of its passing is liable to serve outside the State with a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force despatched for service with international forces established by the United Nations. With the passage of time since 1960 all personnel of the Permanent Defence Force are now liable for such service. All personnel are, therefore, obliged to serve overseas as part of their terms of employment.

Under the 1960 Act service with an international United Nations force was confined to a force established for the performance of duties of a police character. The Defence (Amendment) Act 1993 dispensed with this requirement. Anyone entering the Permanent Defence Force on or after 1 July 1993 is liable for service under the new arrangements.

Raising troops for overseas missions is the responsibility of the Chief of Staff. While Defence Forces personnel are liable under their terms of enlistment for overseas service, the current system for filling appointments on overseas units is generally by volunteers. It is only in circumstances where the requisite volunteers are not available that personnel are mandatory selected. I am advised that there is a shortage of volunteers in certain technical grades. However, I understand that no more than 15 of the 435 personnel deployed with the 91st Infantry Battalion currently serving with UNMIL were selected mandatorily.

The criteria for selection of volunteers for overseas service are broadly as follows: competence and suitability; professional expertise; recommendations from reporting officers; seniority; health and age; family and social considerations.