Written answers

Thursday, 13 November 2014

Department of Defence

Defence Forces Deployment

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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19. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of occasions that members of the Defence Forces have been called to undertake aid to the civil power ATCP duties at Dublin, Cork, and Shannon airports, respectively, in the past 12 months; and the way these operations are funded. [41264/14]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. There is ongoing and close liaison between An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces regarding security matters. The Defence Forces were not deployed in an ATCP role to Dublin or Cork airports during the period in question. There were 362 ATCP deployments carried out by the Defence Forces to Shannon Airport during the 12 month period from the 6thNovember 2013 to the 6thof November 2014. The length of each such deployment and the number of relevant aircraft that land and take off during each deployment can vary. For example, if a single aircraft is on the ground for an extended period, perhaps overnight, or over a number of days, this would involve more than one deployment of troops as each shift is generally of 12 hours duration.

The costs of these operations, which include Security Duty Allowance, rations and fuel, are met from the Defence Vote.

Photo of Lucinda CreightonLucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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20. To ask the Minister for Defence his views that the triple lock system is still a suitable mechanism to determine our peacekeeping operations in view of the dysfunctional nature of the UN Security Council; his plans to ensure Ireland has greater level of control on our peacekeeping missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41254/14]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Green Paper on Defence, which was published in 2013, considered the relevance of the “triple lock” mechanism in a world where defence and security threats are becoming more interconnected, more diverse, less visible and less predictable than heretofore. The Green Paper noted the requirement for a UN resolution as part of the “triple lock” reflects the central importance of the UN in granting legitimacy to peace support and crisis management missions. The Green Paper also noted that at the same time, the “triple lock” also constitutes a self imposed, legal constraint on the State’s sovereignty in making decisions about the use of its armed forces. The Green Paper recognised that on balance the advantages of retaining the “triple lock” mechanism can be seen as outweighing the disadvantages. Nonetheless it is an issue worthy of discussion in advance of the adoption of the next White Paper on Defence which will include an updated assessment of the future defence and security environment.

The benefits of a formal legislative requirement for UN authorisation must be weighed against the possibility that this constraint may lead to an inability to act on occasions where there is a pressing moral or security imperative and overwhelming international support to do so, but where UN sanction is not forthcoming, in circumstances where a veto is exercised by a permanent member of the Security Council acting in its own national interests.

It is acknowledged that there is substantial public support for the triple lock mechanism and that, in practical terms, due to the size of our Defence Forces, the State only has a limited capacity to contribute to UN Missions. In real terms Ireland has, in the context of its size, punched above its weight and made a valuable, disproportionate contribution and, save for the example of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, has not been excluded from peace keeping engagements by the triple lock. On balance, the advantages of retaining the mechanism can be seen as outweighing the disadvantages. Having said that, it is an issue worthy of discussion in advance of the adoption of a new White Paper.

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