Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 644: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the command structure which the Irish Defence Forces in Bosnia and Kosovo operate therein. [23571/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland currently contributes a contingent of Defence Forces personnel to both EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to KFOR, the NATO-led international security presence in Kosovo. In addition, a small number of Defence Forces personnel are deployed at both EUFOR and KFOR headquarters in various staff and liaison appointments. Both missions were established under the authority of the UN Security Council.

The chain of command for both missions operates along normal military lines and as such both Irish contingents come under the operational control of the force commander for each mission, who has the authority to designate the chain of command for the force. Irish personnel serving with both missions are subject to the provisions of the Defence Acts 1954 to 1988 similar to personnel operating at home in Ireland. Similar command arrangements apply in relation to UN-led peace support operations.