Written answers

Thursday, 22 May 2008

Department of Defence

Overseas Missions

4:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Navy and Air Corps personnel currently involved or expected to be involved in present or future EU or UN overseas deployments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20537/08]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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As of 20 May 2008, a total of 792 members of the Permanent Defence Force are serving overseas. Of the 792 currently serving overseas, 13 are Air Corps personnel and 4 are members of the Naval Service. When full deployment to Chad is completed on 1 June 2008 a further 10 members of the Air Corps and 16 members of the Naval Service will have been deployed overseas. No Air Corps or Naval Service assets are deployed overseas.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Defence the extent of discussions he has had with his UN or EU colleagues in the matter of participation by Irish personnel in battlegroups or rapid response forces at various locations in Europe or elsewhere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20538/08]

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to Ireland's participation in future Battlegroups, we are committed in principle to participation in the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG) which will stand up again in 2011. Other contributors to the Nordic Battlegroup are Sweden, acting as Framework Nation, Finland, Norway and Estonia. Informal discussions have also taken place between staff in the Department of Defence and representatives from Austria, Germany, Czech Republic and Croatia regarding Ireland's possible participation in the proposed Austrian/German Battlegroup that will be on stand-by in the second six (6) months of 2012. During my visit to Vienna on 24 April 2008, I held discussions with Mr. Norbert Darabos, the Austrian Minister of Defence. The issue of Battlegroups was one of the items we discussed. Mr. Darabos advised me of the progress made to date in setting up arrangements for 2012 and the contacts that had taken place with other EU states with a view to such an arrangement. I responded that it was too early yet for Ireland to decide on any follow-up arrangement to the one we had agreed with the Nordic battlegroup. Government approval would be required before any decision to participate in the Austrian/German Battlegroup was made.

Question No. 230 answered with Question No. 14.

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