Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The EU Satellite Centre (EUSC), which is based in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, is an agency of the European Union and has been operational since 1 January 2002. Its mission is to strengthen the early warning and crisis management monitoring functions of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, through the interpretation of satellite imagery. The analysis of satellite imagery is an essential tool for humanitarian and crisis management activity and is widely utilised in the context of UN-authorised peace support operations. Each EU Member State is represented on the Board of the EUSC. An official from the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union attends the Board meetings which are usually held in Brussels. In addition to participation in the meetings of the EUSC, Ireland uses products which are provided by the Centre in the course of planning and conducting the deployments of members of the Permanent Defence Force to UN-mandated peacekeeping missions.