Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 10: To ask the Minister for Defence the requests he has had from the United Nations to supply troops to UN missions since September 2004. [25680/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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At present Ireland subscribes to the United Nations Standby Arrangements System, UNSAS, under which the State offers to provide up to 850 personnel on overseas service at any given time. Ireland's commitment under the UNSAS represents 10% of the total army strength. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations. At present 749 Defence Forces personnel are serving overseas.

Ireland receives requests from time to time in relation to participation in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. Since September 2004, two such requests have been received from the United Nations. The first request was in April 2005 to contribute a number of Defence Forces personnel to act as UN military observers, UNMOs, to the United Nations Mission in the Sudan, UNMIS. The request was for 15 personnel. The second request was in June 2005 for participation with formed units, ranging from 30 to 850 personnel, in the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUC.

These requests were given careful consideration, as are all requests from the UN. However, following consultation with the military authorities and taking into account the level of existing commitments to overseas peacekeeping operations at the time of the requests, it was decided not to accede to the UN requests on these occasions.