Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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It is not planned to deploy members of the Defence Forces to serve with either the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) or the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Cease-fire Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

One of the reasons for deploying troops in particular missions is the opportunity to demonstrate Ireland's support for relevant organisation. In the case of the OSCE, the extent of our contribution to OSCE missions is relatively small and opportunities to provide personnel in appropriate situations do not arise that often. Having regard to the conflict in Georgia, and following a request from the OSCE for additional Military Monitoring Officers (MMOs) for Georgia, it was agreed to deploy one officer in the rank of Comdt. This officer was due to deploy in mid-October. However, due to problems with the deployment, the OSCE ended its recruitment process and this officer will not now deploy to Georgia.

The EU mission in Georgia is a civilian mission, although it allows for the deployment of unarmed military personnel in a civilian capacity as monitors. I understand that the Department of Foreign Affairs is proposing to contribute financially to the ESDP Mission in Georgia. In addition four Irish civilians are also participating in the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

The same considerations regarding participation as arose in relation to the OSCE request do not arise in relation to the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia. The Defence Forces are already contributing extensively to ESDP missions with two of our largest contributions in Chad/RCA and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Given these commitments, together with the fact that the EU Monitoring Mission is primarily a civilian mission and that Ireland is also contributing financially to it, it has been decided not to deploy any Defence Forces personnel to the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia at this time.