Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence if a rapid response to crisis situations, such as the threat of genocide, will be possible through the proposed EU battle group formations; his views on whether Ireland will also be able to respond quickly in such matters as a member of EU battle groups without reform of the triple lock mechanism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31914/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The battlegroup is designed to respond rapidly to the full range of Petersberg Tasks, either on its own or as an initial response pending the deployment of a follow-on force. Potentially, a battlegroup could be deployed to counter the threat of genocide. In such a situation, I would expect the UN to respond with all haste and put in place an appropriate resolution to ensure the protection of those at risk. We could only participate in such an operation if there was such a resolution in place. As I have stated on numerous occasions, our participation in any mission will continue to be subject to the requirement for UN approval, Government decision and Dáil approval, that is, the triple lock.