Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 471: To ask the Minister for Defence if the Government has views on the possibility of Ireland switching from the Nordic battle group to the German led battle group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36262/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Decisions regarding the participation of Member States in the European Union in Battlegroups are made on the basis of a number of criteria. It is a matter for each country to decide whether it will participate in a particular Battlegroup or not.

Regarding Ireland's participation in future Battlegroups, there has been some confusion arising from misinformed reporting in the media on the issue of our possible participation in the Austro/German Battlegroup. As I have previously stated in the Dáil we are currently examining the idea of contributing to both the Nordic Battlegroup (2011) and a new Austro/German Battlegroup (2012). It is not a question of either/or and there is certainly no question of us leaving the Nordic Battlegroup. We are already committed in principle to participation in the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG) which will be on stand-by for the first six months of 2011. As with the Nordic Battlegroup in 2008 the other contributors to the Nordic Battlegroup are Sweden (acting as Framework Nation), Finland, Norway and Estonia.

In addition, informal discussions have also taken place between staff in my Department and representatives from Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) regarding Ireland's possible participation in the proposed Austro/German Battlegroup. This Battlegroup will be on stand-by for the second six months of 2012.

Government approval will be required before participation in either Battlegroup is finalised.