Written answers
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Department of Defence
Overseas Missions
Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of overseas missions in which the Defence Forces are currently involved; the number of personnel involved in each mission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20921/15]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As of 25 May 2015, Ireland is contributing approximately 500 Defence Forces personnel to 12 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. In addition to the personnel listed in the tabular statement there is one Officer and one NCO deployed to the Embassy of Ireland in Freetown, Sierra Leone under the Emergency Civilian Assistance Team initiative.
The most recent deployment overseas came following the EU leaders meeting in Brussels on 23 April 2015 to discuss the humanitarian crisis in North Africa. At that meeting, the Taoiseach stated that Ireland was prepared to send a Naval vessel on a humanitarian mission to assist in the emergency. L.É. EITHNE, with a crew of sixty-eight (68) personnel of the Permanent Defence Force, augmented by two (2) medical officers of the Permanent Defence Force, departed the Naval Base in Haulbowline on 16 May and arrived at its destination on Saturday last, 23 May to assist the Italian authorities in humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean.
The current contribution of some 500 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.
MEMBERS OF THE PERMANENT DEFENCE FORCE SERVING OVERSEASAS OF 25 MAY 2015
| 1. | UN MISSIONS | |
|---|---|---|
| UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ | 9 | |
| UNIFIL 49 th Infantry Group | 185 | |
| UNIFIL Sector West HQ | 4 | |
| UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel and Syria | 13 | |
| MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) | 3 | |
| MONUSCO (United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) | 4 | |
| UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) | 2 | |
| UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) HQ, Golan Heights Syria | 8 | |
| UNDOF 48 th Infantry Group | 130 | |
| TOTAL | 358 | |
| UN MANDATED MISSIONS | ||
| EUFOR (EU led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 7 | |
| EUTM Mali (EU led Training Mission) | 9 | |
| KFOR (International Security Presence in Kosovo) HQ | 12 | |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS | 386 | |
| 2. | OTHER DEPLOYMENTS | |
| RSM (Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan) | 7 | |
| UK EBOLA TREATMENT CENTRE (Sierra Leone) | 4 | |
| Navel Service Humanitarian Mission in Mediterranean (L.E. Eithne) | 70 | |
| TOTAL NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL OTHER DEPLOYMENTS | 81 | |
| 3. | ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) | |
| OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina | 2 | |
| Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group Vienna | 1 | |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING OSCE | 3 | |
| 4. | EU MILITARY STAFF | |
| Brussels | 5 | |
| 5. | NORDIC BATTLE GROUP 2015 | |
| FHQ Sweden | 14 | |
| 6. | MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF | |
| Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York | 1 | |
| Military Adviser Irish delegation to OSCE, Vienna | 1 | |
| Military Representative to EU (Brussels) | 4 | |
| Liaison Office of Ireland, NATO/PfP (Brussels) | 2 | |
| EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium | 1 | |
| Irish Liaison Officer to SHAPE & Military Co-Op Division, Mons, Belgium | 1 | |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS | 499 |
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