David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Defence Force members to be committed to the UN force in Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32260/06]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Defence the latest situation in regard to the deployment of Irish troops to assist in international peacekeeping efforts in the Lebanon; the number of troops to be sent to the region; the type of activities they will be engaged in; the initial length of their stay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32177/06]

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence the risk analysis that has been carried out or is currently underway in advance of the deployment of Irish troops on peacekeeping duties in the Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32178/06]

John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Defence the role of Irish troops in UNIFIL 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32348/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Defence the anticipated strength of the Irish UN deployment to the Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32563/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 20, 43, 52 and 175 together.

UNIFIL was originally established on 19 March 1978 under United Nations Security Council resolutions 425 and 426, following the invasion of Lebanon by Israel, with a mandate "to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli Forces, to restore international peace and security and to assist the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area". The Secretary General of the United Nations concluded that as of 16 June, 2000 Israel had withdrawn its forces from Lebanon in accordance with resolution 425 (1978), thus partially fulfilling UNIFIL's original mandate. Since then, UNIFIL has continued to operate in Southern Lebanon. The mission continued to focus on the remaining part of its mandate: the restoration of peace and security in the region, through observing, monitoring and reporting on developments in its area of operation, liaising with the parties, with a view to correcting violations along the line of withdrawal, the so-called Blue Line, and preventing the escalation of incidents.

Ireland has participated in UNIFIL since 1978. Between May 1978 and November 2001, the Defence Forces had an infantry battalion (approx. strength 540 personnel) in Lebanon, together with approximately 100 personnel in UNIFIL Headquarters and the Force Mobile Reserve. Since November 2001, a small number of Defence Forces personnel continued to serve at the Force Headquarters in Naqoura. Five (5) personnel are currently deployed at the Force Headquarters.

In response to the July/August 2006 crisis, the UN decided, under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, to extend the mandate of UNIFIL to the end of August, 2007, and to increase its troop strength from approx 2,000 troops to a maximum of 15,000. The Council also decided that, in addition to carrying out its original mandate under Council resolutions 425 and 426, UNIFIL would also monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese armed forces as they deploy throughout Southern Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons.

The nature of the expanded UNIFIL mandate is such that its role is to be considerably more robust than it was prior to the adoption of Resolution 1701, while still operating under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. UNIFIL will assist the Government of Lebanon to exercise its authority throughout the UNIFIL area of operations. It will take all necessary action, acting in support of the Government of Lebanon, "to ensure that its area of operations is not utilised for hostile activities of any kind and to resist attempts by forceful means to prevent it from discharging its duties" under the mandate of the Security Council. UNIFIL is not charged with disarming the Hezbollah. The question of disarming Hezbollah is a matter for the Lebanese Government. Moreover, it is recognised that this can only take place in the context of an overall political process in the region.

Following on from the ceasefire, which took effect on 14 August, 2006, the Government here has been monitoring the situation with a view to determining how best Ireland might contribute to the expanded UNIFIL II mission. As the Deputies will appreciate, given our other existing commitments, the Defence Forces have limited resources to contribute to this mission. Against this background, an option was identified whereby Ireland might partner Finnish troops and provide a protection detail to a planned Finnish Engineering Company.

While there are risks attaching to any peacekeeping operation, a key aspect and the primary concern in relation to participation in any mission is the safety and security of Defence Forces personnel. For this reason, the Defence Forces undertook a joint reconnaissance mission to Lebanon last month. Following consultation with our Finnish colleagues, UNIFIL and other parties, it is assessed that there is no direct threat to UNIFIL personnel. That said, the uncertain and volatile situation means that incidents, misunderstandings or wider political developments all have the potential to impact negatively on the peacekeeping operation, while the large quantity of cluster-bomblets and other unexploded ordnance also present a risk. However, the ceasefire seems to be holding well and the Defence Forces have assessed the overall threat as "LOW within a volatile situation", not dissimilar to that encountered by Irish personnel on other peace support missions. Given the Defence Forces equipment, training and experience, the Chief of Staff has advised me that the mission is within the capability of Defence Forces personnel and that they can play a meaningful role.

On 3 October, 2006, the Government authorised, subject to Dáil approval, the despatch of a contingent of the Defence Forces to UNIFIL. The necessary enabling motion was moved in the Dáil on 10 October, 2006 and was approved yesterday.

Following detailed discussions between the Defence Forces and their Finnish counterparts, including a joint reconnaissance mission to Lebanon, the current plan envisages the deployment of a Finnish engineering unit with an Irish protection detail in the Eastern Sector area of Lebanon. The planned Irish contingent will consist of approximately 150 Defence Forces personnel. The five (5) Defence Forces personnel currently serving in Lebanon will continue to be deployed at the UNIFIL Force Headquarters.

The Finnish/Irish engineering unit will carry out tasks in support of UNIFIL and also some humanitarian work, including dealing with unexploded ordnance clearance and reconstruction. While the Irish element will be tasked primarily for reconnaissance, security and protection duties associated with the engineering works, it will also be available to undertake other tasks at the request of the UNIFIL Force Commander.

Deployment to UNIFIL will take place on 30/31 October 2006 and, if approved, will bring the total number of Defence Forces personnel serving overseas to about 830 personnel which is within the UNSAS ceiling of 850.

Initial deployment would be for 1 year subject to renewal of the mandate and a satisfactory review of the mission at that time. In line with standing policy that the duration of any deployment should be set at the outset of a mission, it is considered that Defence Forces involvement in UNIFIL should not exceed a maximum of 2 to 3 years in duration.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of additional Irish military personnel required due to the acceptance of the lead role in KFOR; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32324/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will send a civil affairs section with the Irish contingent for the duration of their term as the lead nation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32325/06]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the assumption by Irish troops of the lead role in the UN task force in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32303/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 21 and 66 together.

KFOR was established on 10 June, 1999, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, for an initial period of twelve months, to continue thereafter unless the UN Security Council decides otherwise. KFOR's mandate is to establish a secure environment in Kosovo conducive to the implementation of refugee return and reconstruction. KFOR has a current strength of approximately 15,000 troops drawn from 24 NATO countries and 11 non-NATO countries including Ireland, Austria, Finland and Sweden. The KFOR mandate is expected to continue for some considerable time to come.

Ireland has participated in KFOR since August 1999, following Government Decision and subsequent approval by Dáil Éireann of the necessary enabling motion. The Irish contingent currently comprises an Infantry Group of some 213 personnel including 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.

KFOR is organised into five Multinational Task Forces (MNTFs), each having a designated area of responsibility. Each Task Force comes under the command of a Framework Nation, being one of the States contributing to the particular Task Force. All Task Forces fall under a single chain of command, namely the Commander of KFOR, located at KFOR HQ, in Pristina.

The Irish Infantry Group serves in the Multi-National Task Force (Centre), which comprises approximately 1,200 personnel. Five other nations participate in this Task force: — Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland and Latvia with Sweden currently acting as Framework Nation. The Task Force's area of responsibility is generally the Pristina region, covering 7 municipalities with a population of approximately 1 million people. The Irish commitment comprises a MOWAG mounted APC Company together with support and logistic elements and various HQ personnel. Twelve personnel are also serving at KFOR HQ.

Ireland will take over from Sweden as Framework Nation in the Multinational Task Force (Centre) in KFOR for the first time in August 2007 for a period of one (1) year to 31 July 2008.

The role of the Framework Nation is to assume responsibility for the coordination and control of the Headquarters of the Multinational Task Force (Centre), commanding, controlling and directing task force operations. The Framework Nation provides the Force Commander for the task force and most of the key planning and logistics appointments in the Force Headquarters. It is obliged to provide assets and capabilities to the Task Force, including a substantial input of resources to cater for accommodation, building maintenance, water, electricity, sewerage, catering, communications, transport, security, administration and barrack services. In addition, the Framework Nation is responsible for supporting other Task Force contributors in their operations so as to maintain the overall effectiveness of the Task Force as a whole.

Assumption of the role of Framework Nation will entail the deployment of approximately 60 additional personnel to KFOR.

KFOR is a multinational operation with contributions from a wide range of countries, each of which undertakes particular responsibilities, and lead roles in relation to certain activities. In the case of MNTF (Centre), the Finns have the lead role in the area of Civil Affairs, more commonly known as Civil-Military Cooperation or CIMIC. They have performed this role successfully for a long period of time. Ireland will continue to deploy a Staff Officer in the CIMIC cell in MNTF Centre. However, there are no plans to increase our contribution to this part of the headquarters structure. That said, the Irish contingent will continue to undertake CIMIC type work and humanitarian tasks within its area of responsibility with support from Irish Aid.

Ireland becoming Framework Nation will represent a significant progression in the development of Defence Forces peacekeeping capabilities. For the first time an Irish officer will be in command and control of a multinational brigade sized force in a Partnership for Peace (PfP) led peace support operation. A large number of Defence Forces Officers and NCOs will serve in core HQ posts, exercising overall command and control over the operations of the Task Force. In addition, Ireland will be seen by its partner nations as being prepared to share the burden of Framework Nation, which is seen as an extremely important and high profile, if onerous, responsibility. Benefit will also accrue to the Defence Forces, both at operational and individual level, enhancing the depth of experience and contributing to the overall development and modernisation of the Defence Forces. Other nations, which have served as Framework Nation, have remarked on the positive impact it has had on the modernisation and transformation of their armed forces. A term as Framework Nation will also maintain and add to Ireland's profile and reputation as a provider of professional and interoperable forces for international peace support operations, which is a key objective of our participation in PfP generally.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for Defence his views on the claims made on a Lebanese television station that a member of the Irish Army had been fighting alongside Israeli soldiers in Lebanon; if he has had contact with Lebanese or Israeli authorities on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32175/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to a recent press article concerning allegations made on a Lebanese television station that a member of the Irish Army had been fighting alongside Israeli soldiers during the recent conflict in Lebanon. As the basis for its assertion, the television station reported that the identity card of a member of the Irish Defence Forces was found amongst items recovered in an area recently vacated by personnel of the Israeli Defence Forces in South Lebanon.

There is no information available to the military authorities to substantiate the claim made by the Lebanese TV Station 'AL MANAR', which I understand is owned and controlled by Hezbollah. However, I can state categorically that no member of the Defence Forces was fighting alongside the Israeli forces and the person, whose ID was found, is still a member of the Defence Forces and was not in Lebanon during the recent conflict.

The military authorities have confirmed that an incident occurred in 1997 and was reported by them at the time, when an Irish unit serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was engaged in mine-clearing duties outside a village close to one of the outposts manned by the then South Lebanese (Christian) Militia (SLA). A member of the Irish unit was injured and medical assistance was rendered by a member of the SLA, which required the removal of the soldier's trouser leg containing his wallet and ID card. The loss was reported at the time and the ID card, which I understand has since expired, was cancelled. We have no information as to how the ID card, which, as I have said, was lost in 1997, came to be found in items discovered during the recent conflict in Lebanon.

I have had no contact with the Israeli or Lebanese authorities arising from the recent article.