Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Defence if, in relation to the dispatch of Defence Forces members on overseas service, the utilisation of regional arrangements or agencies for enforcement action under the authority of the UN Security Council is synonymous with the establishment of an international force or body by the Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12352/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Defence Forces participate in two main types of overseas missions, namely, traditional UN-led "Blue Hat" missions and UN authorised missions, where the mission is established under the authority of the UN Security Council or the General Assembly of the UN. UNIFIL in Lebanon and UNMIL in Liberia are examples of such missions. The second type are missions authorised to be established by the Security Council of the United Nations or the UN General Assembly. KFOR in Kosovo, EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina and ISAF in Afghanistan are examples of such missions, where a regional organisation, such as NATO or the EU, assembles the force and deploys it under the authorisation of the UN. Chapter VIII of the original charter of the United Nations, Article 53 in particular, makes provision for situations whereby the UN authorises regional organisations to undertake missions under the authority of the UN.