Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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559. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will provide in tabular form the total number of Defence Forces personnel deployed to the Golan Heights since March of 2011; if he will breakdown the figures by each six month deployment during that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49042/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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A total of one hundred and twenty-six (126) members of the Permanent Defence Force are currently deployed to the Golan Heights in Syria. Full details of all personnel deployed to the Golan Heights since March 2011 are listed in the tabular statement attached. The main Defence Forces deployment is with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria. The Irish 43rd Infantry Group comprises one hundred and nineteen (115) personnel and was deployed to UNDOF in September 2013. The Irish 43^rd Infantry Group is tasked primarily to serve as the Force Reserve Company within the UNDOF Area of Responsibility on the Golan Heights. Their duties include the provision of a Quick Reaction Force which is on standby to assist with on-going operations within the UNDOF Area of Responsibility. The Force Reserve Company also carries out patrols and convoy escorts as necessary. Four (4) members of the Permanent Defence Force are also deployed at UNDOF’s Headquarters.

Major General Michael Finn was seconded to the United Nations to fill the post of Head of Mission and Chief of Staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) with effect from 01 July 2013 for an initial period of one year. There are a total of twelve (12) members of the Permanent Defence Force serving with UNTSO, seven of whom are currently based in Syria as part of Observer Group Golan (OGG).

Defence Forces personnel deployed to the Golan Heights in Syria