John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 1771: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces currently stationed in Afghanistan; the cost to the State of this mission; if he will withdraw these people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2219/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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On 20 December, 2001, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1386 authorising the establishment of an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for six months to assist the Interim Afghanistan Authority in the maintenance of security in Kabul and the surrounding areas. The authorisation of ISAF has been extended by the UN Security Council since then. NATO assumed the lead in ISAF on 11 August, 2003. The current Commander of ISAF, which has a strength of approximately 32,000 personnel, is Lt. Gen David Richards (UK).

Ireland has participated in ISAF in Afghanistan since 5 July, 2002, following the Government Decision of 2 July, 2002 authorising the provision of seven members of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the force.

Seven Irish personnel are currently serving with the force. Three personnel are serving as staff officers with the ISAF HQ in Kabul and four personnel are deployed in Liaison Teams in the Regional Command Capital (RC(C)) Kabul. The Liaison Teams specifically liaise between the RC(C) and the Afghan National Directorate of Security, Kabul Police and the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA).

The annual cost to the State of this mission is approximately €225,000.

It is proposed that the Defence Forces will continue to serve with ISAF in the immediate future, subject to ongoing review by my Department and the Military Authorities.