Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Defence Forces personnel on service overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17520/05]

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Defence the requests for personnel which the Defence Forces have received from the United Nations to date in 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17553/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 59 together.

Ireland is currently contributing approximately 740 Defence Forces personnel to 19 different missions throughout the world. The main commitments are to the United Nations mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with 410 personnel; the NATO led international security presence, KFOR, in Kosovo, with 205 personnel; and EUFOR, the EU led operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 54 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 commitment under the United Nations standby arrangements system, UNSAS, is 850, which represents 10% of the total Army strength. This is the figure set in the White Paper on defence. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations. It should be appreciated that at any one time one group of personnel will have just returned from service, one will be on overseas duty and a further group will be in training. There are no plans at this time to increase the level of our commitment to UNSAS.

Ireland receives requests from time to time regarding participation in various missions and these are considered on a case by case basis. To date in 2005, one such request has been received from the United Nations to contribute a small number of Defence Forces personnel to act as UN military observers, UNMOs, with the recently established United Nations mission in the Sudan, UNMIS. The request to participate in the peacekeeping operation in Sudan is being given careful consideration, as are all such requests from the UN.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for Defence the situation with respect to the investigation into the murders of persons (details supplied). [17645/05]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has received a response to his reported request to the DPP (details supplied) to review the case of the killers of two Irish soldiers in the Lebanon in 1980 with a view to securing a prosecution under the Geneva Conventions; the other steps he intends to take to ensure that the killers of the two soldiers are brought to justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17609/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 64 together.

The case to which the Deputies refer relates to the killing of Private Thomas Barrett and Private Derek Smallhorne while serving with the United Nations interim force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, in 1980. The question of the measures open to the Irish authorities to bring the alleged perpetrator of this crime to justice is currently being examined in my Department in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General's office. The process is detailed and complex, involving a review of international legal provisions, including the potential application of the provisions of the Geneva Convention, and of all the available evidence in the case. In this regard, my Department sought the advice of the Attorney General as to whether there is a basis available for mounting a case against the alleged perpetrator.

I have recently received that advice of the Attorney General. He has advised that there are no provisions in Irish law which provide a basis for Ireland to pursue a prosecution against the alleged perpetrator. The attorney did indicate, however, that while untested and potentially difficult, it might be possible for Ireland to pursue a prosecution under the provisions of the Geneva Conventions. While this appears an outside possibility, I have asked the DPP, who would be responsible for pursuing any prosecution, to review the matter as a matter of urgency.

The country with primary jurisdiction in this case is Lebanon. I have, therefore, asked my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to convey to the Lebanese authorities and the US authorities, where the alleged perpetrator resides as a naturalised US citizen, our earnest desire and determination to see the alleged perpetrator brought to justice and to advise them that we will assist in whatever manner we can should either the US or the Lebanese authorities be able to bring him to justice. However, the long passage of time since the tragic incident will create its own difficulties in terms of mounting a prosecution, even if we can make the alleged perpetrator amenable to justice.

I will continue to explore such avenues as may be open to me to seek justice in respect of Privates Barrett and Smallhorne.