Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is satisfied regarding the extent of Ireland's participation in European defence and security measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19087/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland continues to play an active role in the development and implementation of European Security and Defence Policy. Along with our EU partners, we undertake regular reviews of ESDP missions and capabilities, including at the European Council last month, and at the joint meeting of Foreign and Defence Ministers in May.

Members of the Defence Forces are currently participating in ESDP missions in Bosnia Herzegovina and in support to the African Union mission in Sudan. Defence Forces personnel have recently served with the EU missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (in support of the UN), and in Aceh (overseeing the peace and disarmament process there). Members of an Garda Síochána are currently serving with the EU Police Mission in Bosnia Herzegovina.

In addition, Ireland is making a contingent of up to 100 members of the Defence Forces available to the Nordic EU Battlegroup, which will be on standby for crisis management missions requiring rapid deployment, for the first six months of next year.

Overall deployments of Defence Forces personnel on overseas UN-authorised missions — whether UN-, EU-, or Nato-led — are kept under constant review within the context of the overall commitment of up to 850 personnel on overseas duties at any given time, as specified in the White Paper on Defence.

The Government also keeps under review the numbers of Gardaí who are serving in overseas civilian missions. In this regard, the question of a Garda contribution to the expected EU rule of law mission to Kosovo is under active consideration.