Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 119: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Irish role in the UN observer mission in Syria; the future plans for the force; the timeline for its full deployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25165/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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On 21 April, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2043 (2012) authorising the establishment, for an initial period of up to 90 days, of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS). On 24 April, in response to a request from the UN to participate in this mission, the Government approved the deployment of up 6 members of the Defence Forces to UNSMIS.

On 11 May six members of the Defence Forces were deployed to UNSMIS as unarmed military observers. The presence of these observers is essential to international efforts to effect a change in conditions on the ground. Good progress has been made in relation to the overall deployment to UNSMIS and I understand that over 200 observers are now on the ground and that the full complement of 300 observers is expected to be in place later this week. An additional group of 75 civilian personnel is also being put in place.

The role of the Irish and other UNSMIS observers is to monitor and report on the security situation and on any transgression of the ceasefire agreement, as well as on the implementation of the six-point peace plan of Mr Kofi Annan, the UN and Arab League Joint Special Envoy. The observers have set up monitoring units in the principal cities in Syria, including Homs, Deraa and Hama which have been the scenes of major conflict and shelling.

The ongoing violence and the continued difficulties in ensuring adherence to the 12 April ceasefire and promoting full compliance by all sides with the six-point peace plan are matters of great concern and underline the severity of the challenges faced by UNSMIS. Incidents such as the attack on a Syrian Army convoy accompanying a UNSMIS observer team (including the Norwegian Force Commander) which was visiting Deraa on 9 May and the improvised explosive attack on the UNSMIS convoy near Hama on 15 May are completely unacceptable.

Ireland and its EU partners will continue to offer the fullest possible support to UNSMIS and to Special Envoy Annan in their efforts to promote a peaceful settlement.