Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on plans for the withdrawal of Irish troops from Liberia; if there is any prospect that Irish troop presence in Liberia will be extended beyond the end of 2006; if these troops will be deployed on their return from Liberia; if he will further report on the success or otherwise of their activities in Liberia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25883/05]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for withdrawing Irish troops from Liberia by the end of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25795/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 47 together.

A Permanent Defence Force contingent has been serving with the UN mission in Liberia, UNMIL, since December 2003. A one-year extension of the initial deployment of one year was approved by the Government in December 2004, subject to the renewal of the UN mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission. In the near future, I will bring proposals to the Government for the continued deployment of a contingent with the mission after December 2005. From the outset, my predecessor signalled the Government's intention that the involvement of the Defence Forces in UNMIL would not exceed two to three years. The UN has been advised accordingly. Elections which are planned for October 2005 under the comprehensive peace agreement of August 2003 should be completed by the time the Irish contingent withdraws. The contingent is there to assist the people of Liberia to regain the peace they deserve. It is general policy that deployments of Defence Forces contingents to peace support missions overseas should be for defined periods.

An Irish contingent, together with an infantry company group from Sweden, provides the quick reaction force to the UNMIL force commander. When the unit was deployed in late 2003, its initial focus was to help secure the Monrovia area and to support the disarmament process. In recent times, however, the focus of the unit has altered to framework operations in support of the election process. National elections are scheduled to be held on 11 October, with results expected on the 26 October. The new Government is expected to take office in late January 2006. The Secretary General of the UN has indicated that there will be a review of the UNMIL mission in March 2006, and depending on the political and security situation in Liberia at that time, a downsizing schedule for the UNMIL mission will be agreed at that time.