Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will name the overseas missions to which Ireland is currently contributing Defence Forces personnel; if he will detail the numbers serving on each mission; if he will provide the scope and duration of each mission and its cost to the Exchequer on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43206/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has offered, through the UN Standby Arrangements System (UNSAS), to provide up to 850 military personnel for overseas service at any one time. This figure equates to some 10% of Ireland's standing Army (excluding reserves) and demonstrates Ireland's commitment to the cause of international peace. This is the maximum sustainable commitment that Ireland can make to overseas peacekeeping operations. Ireland is currently contributing 143 Defence Forces personnel to 12 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the tabular statement below. The main overseas missions, in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed, are the EU-led operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 43 personnel and the NATO-led International Security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with 12 personnel. Other personnel are serving as monitors and observers with the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Staff are also deployed at the organisational headquarters of the EU, OSCE and NATO.

KFOR was established on 10 June, 1999 in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1244, for an initial period of twelve months, to continue thereafter unless the UN Security Council decides otherwise. KFOR's mandate is to establish a safe and secure environment in Kosovo conducive to the implementation of refugee return and reconstruction. The EU military mission Operation ALTHEA was established under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1575 (2004) of 22 November, 2004 as the legal successor to SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 18 November 2009, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1895 (2009) renewing EUFOR's mandate for a further period of 12 months. Both of these missions are authorised under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and participation by the Defence Forces in the missions is reviewed by the Government on an annual basis. The additional cost to the Defence Vote of participation by the Defence Forces in KFOR and Operation ALTHEA over the past twelve months was in the region of €5.7m and €2.4m respectively. The Defence Forces contribution to the KFOR mission was downsized during the past year and will be further downsized in 2011 as will our contribution to Operation ALTHEA.