Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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28. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Permanent Defence Forces personnel currently serving on overseas missions; the type and location of each mission, including the lead organisation; if authorisation for participation is kept under review in view of the changing security context at various locations; if he will provide the procedures that would be followed for the withdrawal of personnel if the risks involved exceeded acceptable levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34554/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As of 8 September 2014, Ireland is contributing approximately 422 Defence Forces personnel to 14 different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas including the lead organisation for each mission are listed in the tabular statement attached.

The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 197 personnel, and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 135 Defence Forces personnel.

Other missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) with eight (8) personnel; the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina with seven (7) personnel; the NATO-led international security presence (KFOR) in Kosovo with twelve (12) personnel; the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan with seven (7) personnel, and the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in South Sudan with two (2) personnel. Ireland also contributes 26 observers and staff to various United Nations and OSCE missions, 14 personnel to the Nordic Battle group headquarters in Sweden and 15 other personnel to staff appointments at UN, EU and OSCE headquarters.

Defence Forces participation in all overseas missions is reviewed on an ongoing basis. Ongoing threat assessments are carried out in mission areas and we continually review both personal equipment and force assets, to ensure that Defence Forces personnel are appropriately equipped to fulfill their roles. A decision to withdraw Irish personnel from a mission would be taken by the Government in consultation with the lead organisation for the mission.The procedures for the withdrawal of personnel would be a military operation, the responsibility of which would lie with the relevant Force Commander of the mission in question.

The current contribution of some 422 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.

AS OF 01 July 2014