Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there is a difficulty in according a lead role in international missions, under the auspices of the UN or the EU, to countries with a record of colonisation in Africa; if, commercial links are inappropriate for such a leadership role; and his views on a specific role for countries without such a record. [38369/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The establishment and deployment of missions is a matter for decision by the Security Council for United Nations missions or the Council of the European Union for EU-led missions, respectively. The extent to which an individual country participates depends upon a number of factors, including their political will, their level of capability and the number of personnel and other assets they can offer to the mission.

The norm is that such missions are at the invitation of the government of the country concerned. In this context the mandate of the mission and the manner in which it is executed are of more relevance than a country's historical record or current political and commercial links. Both the United Nations and the European Union are committed to deploying missions that are neutral and impartial.