Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Defence the position regarding Ireland's participation in the proposed EU battlegroups; if the short timeframe for deployment of these forces will prevent Ireland from participating in view of the need for Ireland's armed forces to have a UN mandate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12389/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Defence the position with regard to the development of a common defence and security arrangement across the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12325/05]

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has finalised the expected report on Defence Force participation in EU battle groups; when this report will be presented to Cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12329/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the proposals in regard to the formation of future EU lead battle groups, peacekeeping and peace enforcement expeditions; his willingness to authorise the participation of Irish Defence Forces in such circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12464/05]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Defence the position regarding Ireland's participation in the proposed EU battle groups; if the short timeframe for deployment of these forces will prevent Ireland from participating in view of the need for Ireland's armed forces to have a UN mandate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12590/05]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Defence the situation with respect to Irish participation in the EU battle groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12522/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has had discussions with the Defence Forces or offered guidelines regarding the formation of European RAPID response forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12674/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Defence the discussions he has had with his European colleagues in relation to the formation of European battle groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12675/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent to which the Defence Forces here are in consultation with their European colleagues in the context of the future use of European battle groups and peace enforcement assignments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12685/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Defence if discussions have taken place with his EU colleagues in the context of the formation and deployment of European lead peace enforcement or battle groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12686/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 30, 34, 43, 244 to 247, inclusive, 256 and 257 together.

The background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as battle groups, is that at the European Council in Helsinki in 1999 member states set themselves a headline goal that "by the year 2003, cooperating together and voluntarily, they will be able to deploy rapidly and then sustain forces capable of the full range of Petersberg Tasks as set out in the Amsterdam Treaty". In short, they are humanitarian, rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management operations, including peacemaking. This included, inter alia, a capability to provide "rapid response elements available and deployable at very high readiness". The ambition of the EU to be able to respond rapidly to emerging crises has and continues to be a key objective of the development of the European security and defence policy.

Ireland's participation in such operations is entirely consistent with our foreign policy commitment to collective security which recognises the primary role of the UN Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security and our tradition of support for the United Nations. This is a position endorsed by the UN Secretary General who recognises and supports the development of EU rapid reaction elements as a key factor in enabling the UN to respond more rapidly and with greater authority to emerging crises. During his visit to Dublin in October 2004, the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, stressed the importance of battle groups and requested Ireland's support for them.

At the Cabinet meeting of 16 November, the Government agreed that I should advise my EU counterparts of Ireland's preparedness to enter into consultations with partners with a view to potential participation in rapid response elements. A military capabilities commitment conference was held on 22 November 2004 at which member states committed up to 13 battle group formations which will be available to deploy to crisis situations within a five to ten day period from 2005 onwards.

Ireland supports the development of the EU's rapid response capability in support of UN authorised missions and is positively disposed towards participation in the rapid response elements in this regard. However, it is important that the full implications of our participation are assessed and, to this end, I have established an interdepartmental group which includes representatives of my Department, the Defence Forces, the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General's office. This group met in December and has established three subgroups to address the policy, legislative and operational issues arising. These groups are now working on position papers in relation to the various issues related to Ireland's potential participation in EU rapid response elements. This is a detailed and complex task and it is expected that the work of the subgroups will span several months, not least because the rapid response elements concept is still evolving and a complete picture of all other member states' proposed involvement is not yet available. Following completion of the necessary analysis, I intend returning to Government with proposals regarding the level of any proposed participation by Ireland. Pending the completion of this analysis and a decision by the Government on the issue, the question of issuing directions or guidelines to the Defence Forces regarding the formation of, or Ireland's participation in, EU rapid response elements does not arise and, as such, there are no consultations ongoing currently between the Defence Forces and their European colleagues in this regard.

As I have said repeatedly inside and outside this House, Ireland's participation in rapid response elements will remain subject to the usual requirements of a Government decision, Dáil approval and UN authorisation and I have no plans to do away with the triple lock mechanism as the legal basis for our participation in overseas peace support operations.

It is likely that any crisis on which the EU rapid reaction elements might be deployed will evolve over some time, thus allowing time for the formulation of the requisite UN Security Council resolution.