Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of contact between his Department and the Department of Defence regarding the rapid response corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10406/07]

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of money devoted to the development of the rapid response corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10404/07]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 160 together.

In 2007, funding in the amount of €1 million is budgeted for the development of a Rapid Response Corps. The Corps will comprise approximately 50 highly-qualified and appropriately-experienced experts who will, on request, be deployed at short notice and for periods of up to 3 months.

The funding will be used to provide extensive and appropriate pre-departure training — which, I believe, is of paramount importance; to arrange insurance, travel and visas; and to meet the pre-departure medical costs of those deployed. Members of the Corps will also receive a daily allowance while on deployment, based on Irish civil service subsistence rates. I believe that many retired and serving members of the Defence Forces will have the necessary skills and expertise required to become active and important members of the Rapid Response Corps and we would greatly value applications from such individuals.

Irish Aid is collaborating extensively with the Department of Defence about the development of an appropriate pre-departure training course for members of the Rapid Response Corps. We will also, of course, work closely with our partners in the NGO community, such as Goal, Concern and Trócaire, in developing the project. We have asked the Department of Defence, through the Defence Forces' UN Training School of Ireland (UNTSI) based at the Curragh, to provide training on personal security issues. This will focus on preparing members of the Rapid Response Corps for the likelihood that deployments will be to challenging and difficult environments. The first such training course for members of the Rapid Response Corps is scheduled to take place at the Curragh in May 2007.