Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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553. To ask the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces deployment with the EU Training Mission in Somalia is to continue in 2014 and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49089/13]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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558. To ask the Minister for Defence the way deployment to the Somalia EU Training Mission for Irish Defence Forces is determined; the level of interdepartmental consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on such decisions; the reason the total number of Defence Forces deployed in Somalia fell between June 2013 and November 2013 from 11 to eight; if this was a strategic redeployment of Defence Force members to other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49041/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 558 together.

EUTM Somalia, which was launched on 7 April 2010, aims to strengthen the Somali National Government as a functioning government and to empower the institutions to serve the Somali citizens, by providing military training to members of the Somali National Armed Forces. The mission is part of the EU's long term strategy for the Horn of Africa. EUTM Somalia has contributed to the training of approximately 3,600 Somali soldiers to date.

Following Government approval, five (5) Defence Forces personnel were deployed in April 2010 to the EU-led Training Mission, EUTM Somalia, providing a training team and certain staff posts. Ireland took over operational command of the mission in August 2011, with the appointment of Colonel Michael Beary of the Defence Forces as Mission Commander and deployed additional staff to support the role of Mission Commander. On 1 February 2013, Brigadier General Gerald Aherne took up the appointment of Mission Commander.

On 22 January 2013, the European Council adopted a decision extending the mandate of EUTM Somalia until March 2015. The new EUTM Somalia mandate involves a significant change of focus of the mission from Uganda to Somalia. In this regard, the European Council has gradually been moving the mission’s training activities from Uganda to Mogadishu in Somalia. The move is expected to be completed in early 2014, but this is dependent on security conditions in Somalia.

Ireland currently has eight (8) personnel serving with the mission including the Mission Commander. The recent reduction in the number of Defence Forces personnel deployed to EUTM Somalia from eleven (11) to eight (8) was as a result of the completion of that training phase of the mission to which Ireland contributed three (3) personnel. With Italy taking over the role of Mission Commander, Ireland will draw down the Defence Forces personnel associated with Ireland having held that post. Ireland’s participation in the mission beyond 31 December 2013 will be considered by the Government shortly when the mission comes up for review.