Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Defence the number and location of Irish troop deployments on overseas missions; the strength and nature of the mission in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20543/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is currently contributing 763 Defence Forces personnel to 15 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.

The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are deployed, are the UN Mandated EU multi-national mission to Chad and the Central African Republic — EUFOR TCHAD/RCA with 394 personnel, the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with 280 personnel and EUFOR, the EU-led operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 45 personnel. 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.

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.

The European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic, EUFOR TCHAD/RCA, established under the authority of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1778 (2007), was formally launched by the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 28 January 2008. The mission achieved Initial Operational Capability on 15 March 2008. This marked the start date for the 12-month duration of the Operation. The 97th Inf Battalion is being deployed to Chad and when fully deployed Ireland will be the second largest contributor to the mission with 425 personnel. The aim of the mission is to protect civilians in danger, particularly refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and protect UN personnel.

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 (38th) 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 280.

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 45 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.