Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 28: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is considering any changes to Ireland's triple lock authorisation procedure for sending Irish troops abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25791/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The conditions under which the Defence Forces may participate on overseas peace support operations have been made clear by the Government. The system of conditions, which has been referred to as the "triple lock", must be satisfied. I have established an interdepartmental group to examine all issues relating to our possible participation in the battlegroup concept. Among the issues being examined by the interdepartmental group are the provisions of the current legislation relating to overseas operations. I expect to receive the group's report soon. As I have said on many occasions in response to questions in the House and in public speeches, there are no plans to remove the "triple lock" requirement for Government, Dáil and UN approval for participation by the Defence Forces in overseas peace support operations.

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 29: To ask the Minister for Defence the reports he has commissioned to examine the possibility of Irish troops joining EU battlegroups; when he expects these to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25662/05]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 38: To ask the Minister for Defence if the three separate reports he has commissioned to examine various aspects of Ireland's proposed participation in EU battlegroups are complete; if he will report on the details and conclusions of these reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25932/05]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 45: To ask the Minister for Defence if Ireland will join an EU battle group formation; if he will be bringing forward new legislation to ensure that Ireland can take part in such a formation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25952/05]

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 52: To ask the Minister for Defence if he has brought to Cabinet proposals for the participation of Irish troops in EU rapid-reaction forces; the legislative changes that are required to facilitate this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25882/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 66: To ask the Minister for Defence the position in relation to Ireland's participation in a European rapid response-reaction force; the extent to which the concept has been developed in the past six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25978/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 38, 45, 52 and 66 together.

I wish to outline the background to the rapid response elements concept, commonly referred to as battlegroups. Member states set themselves a headline goal at a meeting of the European Council in Helsinki in 1999. They agreed that by 2003, co-operating together and voluntarily, they would be able to deploy rapidly and then sustain forces capable of the full range of Petersberg Tasks set out in the Amsterdam Treaty. The Petersberg Tasks are humanitarian, rescue, peacekeeping and crisis management operations, including peacemaking. They include, 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 consistent with its 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 its tradition of support for the UN. This position has been endorsed by the UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, 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, Mr. Annan stressed the importance of battlegroups and requested Ireland's support for them.

At the Cabinet meeting of 16 November 2004, 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. During a military capabilities commitment conference that was held on 22 November 2004, member states committed up to 13 battlegroup formations which will be available to deploy to crisis situations, within a five to ten-day period, from 2005. Initial offers and commitments by relevant member states were confirmed at a battlegroup co-ordination conference held on 11 May 2005. It was noted that only one slot, the second semester of 2007, remains unfilled. Further progress has been made in a broad range of areas including a 2005 requirements catalogue, which details an initial list of the capabilities required to meet the aims set in the 2010 headline goal. Work has also been done on the establishment of the civilian and military cell, which supports the co-ordination of the civil and military elements of ESDP operations. Progress has also been made on the European capabilities action plan. The European Defence Agency has continued to support the development of European capabilities in respect of the 2010 headline goal and in relation to crisis management operations generally.

Ireland supports the development of the EU's rapid response capability in support of missions authorised by the UN. It is positively disposed towards participation in the rapid response elements in this regard. As it is important that the full implications of Ireland's participation are assessed, I have established an interdepartmental group which includes representatives of the Departments of Defence, the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Defence Forces and the Office of the Attorney General. The group, which met in December 2004, has established three subgroups to address policy, legislative and operational issues. The subgroups met on a number of occasions during the summer to progress issues relating to battlegroups. While the legal issues subgroup met on four occasions, the others met less often because it is difficult for them to make meaningful progress in the absence of definitive views on the legal issues involved. The Office of the Attorney General is in the process of submitting its report on the legal issues involved to the Attorney General and I expect to receive his report shortly. When the advice has been received, the other two subgroups will expedite the completion of their considerations and report to me in October.