Written answers

Tuesday, 1 March 2005

Department of Defence

Overseas Missions

9:00 pm

Photo of Pádraic McCormackPádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who are available to the United Nations; if this number will be increased in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6728/05]

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the overseas missions that it is envisaged the Defence Forces will contribute to in the remainder of 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6739/05]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for Defence the overseas locations to which Irish troops are likely to be deployed in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6933/05]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 100 and 391 together.

Ireland is currently contributing approximately 770 Defence Forces personnel to 22 different missions throughout the world, full details of which are listed in the following statement. The main commitments are to the United Nations mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 434 personnel and to the NATO-led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 208 personnel. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations, UN, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, and the European Union, EU. Staff are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the OSCE, the UN, NATO and the EU.

Ireland's current major contribution to peacekeeping is in Liberia, where a contingent of the Permanent Defence Forces has been serving since December 2003, with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL. Here, Ireland, together with an infantry company group from Sweden, provides the quick reaction force to the UNMIL force commander. Ireland was specifically requested by the UN to participate in a substantive manner in this mission, which is a tribute to the high regard in which the UN holds the Irish Defence Forces. It is intended that Defence Forces involvement in UNMIL will probably conclude in 2005-06, once the Liberian elections, planned for mid-2005, are completed.

In KFOR, the Defence Forces are serving as part of a Finnish battalion with a Swedish-led multinational brigade. A re-organisation and down-sizing of the NATO-led forces in KFOR, including the Irish contingent, was planned and had partly commenced when civil disturbances broke out in March this year in Kosovo. That down-sizing has now been deferred to allow the situation to settle. Having regard to the fragility of the peace in Kosovo and subject to ongoing assessments of the situation on the ground, Ireland will continue to maintain a presence in KFOR for some time yet.

Ireland currently has 53 personnel deployed to EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. EUFOR was established under the authority of the UN Security Council — Resolution 1575 of 22 November 2004. The resolution authorised the establishment for an initial period of 12 months of a multinational and stabilisation force, EUFOR, as a legal successor to SFOR the NATO-led UN authorised operation in Bosnia Herzegovina. The long-term objective of this mission is the establishment of a stable, viable, peaceful and multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina, co-operating peacefully with its neighbours.

Ireland has offered, through the UN Standby Arrangements System, UNSAS, to provide up to 850 military personnel, configured as a light infantry mounted battalion, for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to some 10% of Ireland's standing Army, excluding reserves, and demonstrates Ireland's commitment to the cause of international peace. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations.

Ireland receives requests from time to time in relation to participation in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. However, we are currently fairly close to the limit of our sustainable commitments. It is appropriate that we keep some level of resources in reserve, should we need to reinforce existing missions or to take on additional missions at short notice. No other deployments are planned or envisaged at this time.

Members of the Permanent Defence Force serving Overseas as of 23 February 2005
1. UN Missions
(i) UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) 5
(ii) UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) — Israel, Syria and Lebanon 13
(iii) UNFICYP (United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus) 1
(iv) MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) 4
(v) UNMIK (United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo) 4
(vi) MONUC (United Nations Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo) 3
(vii) ONUCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) 2
(viii) UNMIL (United Nations Mission in Liberia) FHQ 6
UNMIL 92th Inf Bn 428
TOTAL 466
UN Mandated Missions
(ix) EUFOR (EU-led Mission Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina 53
(x) KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) 208
(xi) ISAF (International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan) 7
Total number of personnel serving with UN missions 734
2. EU Missions
(i) European Union Monitor Mission (EUMM) to the former Yugoslavia 5
(ii) European Union Mission to the African Union Monitoring Mission to Darfur 1
Total Number of Personnel serving with EU Missions 6
3. Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
(i) OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina 1
(ii) OSCE Mission in Croatia 1
(iii) OSCE Presence in Albania 1
(iv) OSCE Mission in FRY 1
(v) OSCE Mission in Macedonia 1
(vi) OSCE Mission in Georgia 5
(vii) Staff Officer, Higher Level Planning Group, Vienna 1
Total number of personnel serving OSCE 11
4. Head of Military Staff (Brussels) 1
5. EU Military Staff (Brussels) 6
6. Liaison Office of Ireland, PfP (Brussels) 2
7. Permanent Representative to EU (Brussels) 3
8. Military Representatives/Advisers
(i) Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York 1
(ii) Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna 1
(iii) Military Representative to Partnership Co-ordination Cell/Supreme 1
Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Mons, Belgium
9. Appointments — UN HQ (New York)
Officers seconded to DPKO (Department of Peace Keeping Operations) 2
10. Other Assignments — UNJLC (Sri Lanka)
Officers seconded to the United Nations Joint Logistics Centre 2
Total Number Defence Forces Personnel serving Overseas 770

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