Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has had recent conversations with his European counterparts or members of the Government regarding Ireland's role in EU co-operation in security and defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3936/07]

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the recent developments with regard to European security and defence co-operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3932/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 103 together.

European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) is an integral part of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy, the principles and objectives of which are set out in the Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice Treaties, approved by the people at successive referenda.

There are nine ESDP missions currently under way, both civilian and military. The civilian missions include police and rule of law missions, security sector reform assistance, and border monitoring missions in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa. The principal military mission has been the ongoing peace stabilisation mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR Althea). An EU Planning Team has been deployed to Kosovo to prepare for an expected rule of law mission in Kosovo to commence in early summer, in succession to the current UN mission operating there. EU Foreign Ministers have also held preliminary discussions regarding a possible mission to Afghanistan to assist with police training and other related tasks. Current and future ESDP missions were reviewed by Foreign and Defence Ministers meeting together at the General Affairs and External Relations Council last November. I continue also to have regular discussions of relevant ESDP issues with my EU counterparts at bilateral meetings as they occur.

The Union is continuing to develop its capabilities for crisis management operations, both military and civilian based on the objectives set out in the (military) Headline Goal 2010 and the Civilian Headline Goal 2008. These include having the capacity to undertake humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking, along with conflict prevention and civilian crisis management.

Apart from Ireland, twenty-six nations — including Turkey and Norway — have also committed to forming or joining the rapid response EU Battlegroups, which are now fully operational. At our meeting on 14 November 2006, the Government decided that Ireland would provide a contingent of the Defence Forces to participate in the Nordic Battlegroup, scheduled to be on stand-by in the first half of 2008. The Government will shortly seek the approval of Dáil Éireann for Ireland's participation in this Battlegroup. Any actual deployment of the Irish contingent of the Nordic Battlegroup will of course remain subject to the requirements of the 'triple lock' of Government decision, Dáil approval and UN authorization.