Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 430: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of international peace-keeping and peace-enforcing missions the Irish Defence Forces are involved in; what each of these missions is; the number of troops involved in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27320/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is currently contributing 460 Defence Forces personnel to 17 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas on UN mandated operations, observer missions or undertaking representative or staff postings are listed in the tabular statement below.

The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are deployed, are the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with 272 personnel and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 57 personnel. In addition, 41 personnel are serving in EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Staff are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the UN, EU, OSCE and NATO.

Members of the Irish Defence Forces serve on peacekeeping missions under Chapter VI and Chapter VII of the UN Charter. UNIFIL operates under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. Peacekeeping operations mounted under this chapter are of the traditional type, where the UN acts as a monitoring, patrolling and observing force after peace has been established.

KFOR, EUFOR, ISAF and EUFOR TCHAD/RCA operate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, that is, they are entitled to use force to implement their mandates and to protect themselves and the international civil presence. Peacekeeping operations mounted under this Chapter are commonly known as peace enforcement operations where the consent of the parties is not required.

KFOR was established in June, 1999 to support the maintenance of civil law and order within Kosovo, so as to develop a climate of safety and security, which will enable the transfer of increased responsibility to the civil authorities.

Ireland has participated in KFOR since August 1999. The Irish (37th) Infantry Group currently serves in the Multi-National Task Force (Centre). In addition to Ireland, the Task Force also comprises troops from the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Sweden, Finland and Latvia. The Task Force's area of responsibility is generally the Pristina region, covering 7 municipalities with a population of approximately 1 million.

The Irish contingent currently comprises an APC Mounted Infantry Group of some 215 personnel, including a number of personnel in staff posts at various KFOR Headquarters. Last August, Ireland assumed the role of Framework Nation for the Multinational Task Force (Centre) in Kosovo for a period of 12 months. An additional 57 Irish personnel are serving with KFOR in support of the Framework Nation role, bringing Ireland's current total deployment to the force to 272.

Following the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon in July/August 2006, an Irish Infantry Group deployed to South Lebanon on 31 October, 2006 as part of the integrated Finnish/Irish Battalion within UNIFIL, to carry out tasks in support of UNIFIL, including dealing with unexploded ordnance clearance and reconstruction. Ireland provided the security detail for the Engineering contingent from Finland. The Finnish/Irish Battalion completed its deployment at the end of last month and the withdrawal process is currently underway. 109 Irish personnel returned to Ireland on 1 November, 2007 and the remaining members of the Battalion will return to Ireland later this month. A small number of Defence Forces personnel will continue to serve at UNIFIL HQ.

Ireland has participated in EUFOR since December 2004, the successor mission to the Stabilisation force (SFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina with which Ireland had previously been serving since 1997. The Irish contingent with EUFOR currently comprises 41 personnel. The role of the Defence Forces personnel currently serving in EUFOR is to provide personnel for the headquarters, the Military Police Unit, Verification Teams and the National Support Element. All Irish personnel are located at Camp Butmir, Sarajevo.

Ireland has participated in International Security Assistance Force (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. Since then, the Government have reviewed and approved, on an annual basis, the continued participation by seven members of the Permanent Defence Force in ISAF.

Following Government decision in October 2007, eleven Irish personnel are currently serving with the EUFOR TCHAD/RCA Mission.