Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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605. To ask the Minister for Defence the total number of the Defence Forces, Army, Navy and Air Corps, male and female, currently serving overseas on various missions, the extent to which such overseas deployment will continue in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36605/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is currently contributing 449 Defence Forces personnel to 13 different missions throughout the world. Ireland’s main deployment is in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), with smaller contributions in Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Afghanistan, EUTM Mali and EUTM Somalia. The total number of Defence Forces personnel, Army, Navy and Air Corps, male and female, currently serving overseas is as set out in the following table.

The Department of Defence constantly reviews the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas. However, the potential for deploying smaller groups of personnel and military observers in support of UN mandated operations will continue to be examined positively, as such requests arise.