Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Defence the position in regard to the Army's commitment to the UN and EU missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo; if he has plans to extend and expand these missions; if he will report on the current activities being undertaken by Irish troops in these missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25884/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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KFOR was established on 10 June 1999, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, for an initial period of 12 months, to continue thereafter unless the UN Security Council decides otherwise. The role of KFOR is to support the maintenance of civil law and order within Kosovo so as to develop a climate of safety and security, which will enable the transfer of increased responsibility to the civil authorities. Ireland has participated in KFOR since August 1999.

The Irish contingent currently comprises an infantry group of some 210 personnel together with a number of personnel in staff posts at various headquarters. The infantry group was first deployed in September 2003. Previously a transport group had been deployed with KFOR since August 1999.

The Irish infantry group operates as part of a multinational grouping, within the Czech led multinational task force centre. It comprises a Mowag APC mounted company together with support and logistic elements. The main tasks of the Irish infantry group include the following: provision of general security to all ethnic groups, institutions and cultural sites; provision of support to UNMIK police and other agencies with security tasks; identification of and reporting on extremist groups and activities; vehicle and foot patrols; vehicle checkpoints; and operation of observation posts.

It had been anticipated that a reorganisation and scaling-down of KFOR would take place in 2004. This had partly commenced when civil disturbances broke out in March 2004 in Kosovo. The withdrawal of the Irish contingent was planned as part of this reduction in KFOR presence and was to have been completed by October 2004. However, having regard to the fragility of the peace in Kosovo, and subject to ongoing assessments of the situation on the ground, both I and the Minister for Foreign Affairs are agreed on the importance of maintaining an Irish presence in the Western Balkans in 2005-2006.

In December 2004, SFOR, NATO-led mission, was replaced by an EU military mission under the European Security and Defence Policy known as Operation Althea or EUFOR. EUFOR was established under the authority of the UN Security Council Resolution 1575 of 22 November 2004. There are currently 54 Defence Force personnel deployed to EUFOR as part of a Finnish-led multinational task force based in Tuzla and also in the force headquarters located in Sarajevo. Within the Finnish-led task force, Ireland provides personnel for the headquarters, the military police unit, joint military verification teams and a national support element. There is no plan to significantly increase the Irish contribution to EUFOR over the next 12 months. The long-term objective of this mission is the establishment of a stable, viable, peaceful and multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, co-operating peacefully with its neighbours.

Ireland has long been an advocate of co-operative approaches to security and EUFOR-KFOR have been an important expression of the approaches to regional peacekeeping and crisis management in Europe. Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace, PfP, since December 1999 has provided an important framework for co-operation and consultation in this regard. Our involvement in the region is also consistent with our ongoing participation in the development of EU crisis management capabilities.