Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans to mark the 50th anniversary of the involvement by the Irish Defence Forces in international peace keeping missions with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2812/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has participated continuously in United Nations peacekeeping operations since 1958, a service which has comprised more than 55,000 individual tours of duty.

The first members of the Defence Forces to deploy with a United Nations peacekeeping mission did so on 28 June, 1958 with the United Nations Observer Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL). A total of fifty (50) officers served with this mission during the period June to December 1958 when the mission was withdrawn. This was followed by the deployment in December 1958 of personnel to the first peacekeeping operation established by the UN, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO). Ireland's participation in this mission continues to this day.

The military authorities are at present planning an appropriate commemoration to mark this significant milestone in the history of the Defence Forces.