Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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485. To ask the Minister for Defence the position regarding Ireland’s participation in the UNDOF mission in the Golan Heights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42167/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In September 2013, a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force was deployed to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) at the request of the United Nations. Since 1974 UNDOF has been a successful mission, supporting the efforts of the international community in maintaining peace and security both in the Golan Heights, and also in the broader region. The mandate of UNDOF has been renewed every six months. The current mandate, which was renewed last June, expires on 31 December 2014.

The current Defence Forces contingent, the 46th Irish Infantry Group UNDOF, comprises 130 troops and consists of a Force Reserve Company and support elements. Their role includes the provision of a Quick Reaction Force which is on standby to assist with ongoing operations within the UNDOF Area of Responsibility. They are tasked with carrying out patrols and convoy escorts as necessary. The Force Reserve Company is also tasked with being prepared to reinforce vulnerable UN positions in the Golan Heights and to assist in securing, extraction, and evacuation of UN personnel under threat.

In addition to the Force Reserve Company, there are eight (8) other Defence Forces personnel based in UNDOF Headquarters, Camp Ziouani, including the Deputy Force Commander Brigadier General Anthony Hanlon, who took up his appointment on 20 September 2014. An Irish officer has also taken on the role of Chief Operations Officer in the force.

Fighting between Syrian Arab Armed Forces and Anti Government Armed Elements has recently escalated in the UNDOF area of responsibility. In August 2014 and in response to the hostilities, the Irish contingent, in its capacity as the Force Reserve Company, dealt with several incidents as requested by the Force Commander UNDOF, including assisting with the safe extraction of members of the Philippine Battalion. In the course of these incidents Irish troops came under fire and returned fire.

Given events on the ground, I called for the UN to undertake a review of the mission, particularly the capacity of the mission to fulfil its mandate in light of the civil war in Syria. I discussed this review of the mission with the Under Secretary General in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Since then there has been a fundamental realignment of the UNDOF mission with a view to minimising unacceptable risks to peacekeepers, while continuing to implement the mission’s mandate. The Headquarters of the UNDOF mission, including the Irish contingent, has now been relocated from Camp Faouar on the Syrian side of the area of separation to Camp Ziouani on the Israeli side of the area of separation. The UNDOF mission has evacuated all but one of the posts in the southern half of the area of responsibility. Movement in the area of responsibility is also restricted. A Nepalese contingent, of approximately 100 personnel, is still posted in the Mount Hermon area in the zone of separation. The realignment reflects the deteriorating situation on the ground and endeavours to minimize the risk to personnel, while continuing to implement the mission’s mandate.

In September 2014, the Presidency of the UN Security Council issued a strong statement, reaffirming the Council’s unconditional support for the UNDOF mission and emphasising the importance of maintaining UNDOF as a vital contributor to peace and security in the Middle East. The Security Council also noted that it was important to maintain UNDOF’s force strength to the level necessary to carry out its important mandate, and to retain the quick reaction and counter-IED capabilities, which are provided by Ireland and which the Council noted have proved indispensable in the face of the changing security environment.

On 12 September, the UN Secretary-General reported to the UN Security Council on activities in the UNDOF mission area during the preceding three months. The mission was further discussed at a meeting of the UN Security Council which was held on 20 October. This meeting addressed possible options for the evolution of the mission, which will include its further reconfiguration, which are dependent on the security situation on the ground. The UN review on the reconfiguration of the mission is an ongoing process and the UN Secretary-General will provide regular updates on the mission to the Security Council in this regard.