Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Defence the discussions which have taken place with his EU colleagues regarding PFP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32226/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace, PfP, to date is set out in our five individual partnership programmes, copies of which have been lodged in the Oireachtas Library. Ireland's sixth individual partnership programme, covering the period 2006-07, is being completed in consultation with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Justice Equality and Law Reform, Health and Children, and Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and will be lodged in the Oireachtas Library upon completion. Activities consist of training courses, seminars, workshops, conferences, staff exercises and table top exercises.

Defence Forces personnel have participated in a number of staff, technical and crisis management exercises in the context of both the European Union and PfP. In accordance with stated policy, the Defence Forces do not participate in multinational military field exercises. Ireland also participates in the PfP planning and review process, known as PARP. In common with the other EU neutral states, Ireland is using the PARP process in connection with planning for humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping and crisis management, collectively known as the Petersberg Tasks. The scope of our involvement in PARP is focused on enhancing interoperability and familiarity with operating procedures in a multinational environment.

Participation in Partnership for Peace activities is entirely voluntary and based on the principle of self-differentiation, that is, a State selects for the nature and scope of its participation. It is Government policy to stay in the mainstream of peacekeeping. Ireland's participation in Partnership for Peace enables our peacekeepers to remain abreast of developments in areas such as training, interoperability and humanitarian aspects of peacekeeping. Participation enhances the ability of our peacekeepers to work with those of other countries and enables us to share our peacekeeping skills with a wide range of countries. We want to ensure the Defence Forces have a full voice in preparations for peacekeeping missions and do not want Ireland to be absent when matters in which we have a legitimate interest are being discussed. There have been no discussions with my EU colleagues on Partnership for Peace as it is not an EU initiative.