Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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217. To ask the Minister for Defence the roles and requirements the Defence Forces could conduct under the United Nations umbrella to help combat the rise of global terrorism in the future given the recently published White Paper on Defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4845/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government recently published a White Paper on Defence which sets out the policy framework for the Defence organisation for the next ten years and beyond. Given the importance that Ireland places on collective security and multilateralism, the Government’s recent White Paper on Defence, published in August 2015, confirms our continued support to the UN and to international peacekeeping generally. The specific role of the permanent Defence Force in the White Paper 2015 is;

To participate in multi-national peace support, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in accordance with Government direction and legislative provision.

As of 10 March 2016, Ireland is contributing 418 Defence Forces personnel to ten different missions throughout the world. Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are listed in the following table.

The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 198 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 138 personnel.

The current contribution of some 418 personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.

The Department of Defence constantly reviews the deployment of Defence Forces personnel overseas. With regard to any future deployments of Defence Forces personnel overseas, Ireland receives requests, from time to time, in relation to participation in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests from the UN for Irish participation in new missions are dealt with under the United Nations peacekeeping capability readiness system (PCRS) on a case-by-case basis. Among the factors taken into account by Ireland when considering any particular request are the following:

-the degree of risk involved;

- the extent to which the required skills or characteristics relate to Irish capabilities;

- whether the operation is adequately resourced;

- the level of existing commitments to peacekeeping operations and security requirements at home.

Members of the Permanent Defence Force Serving Overseas as of 10 March 2016

1.UN MISSIONS

(i)UNIFIL(United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ 9

UNIFIL 51^stInfantry Group185

UNIFIL Sector West HQ4

(ii)UNTSO(United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel & Syria 13

(iii)MINURSO(United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) 3

(iv)MONUSCO(United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic 4 Republic of the Congo

(v)UNOCI(United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) 2

(vi)UNDOF(United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) HQ, 8 Golan Heights, Syria UNDOF 50^thInfantry Group 30

TOTAL 358

UN MANDATED MISSIONS

(vii)EUFOR(EU-led Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina)7

(viii)EUTM Mali(EU-Led Training Mission) 10

(ix)KFOR(International Security Presence in Kosovo ) HQ 12

TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS 387

2.ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)

(i)OSCE Mission to Bosnia & Herzegovina 1

(ii)Staff Officer, High Level Planning Group, Vienna 1

TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH OSCE 2

3.EU MILITARY STAFF

Brussels 4

4.EU BATTLE GROUP

German-led Battle Group 2016 - HQ, STRASBOURG 10

UK-led Battle Group 2016, UK 5

5.MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES/ADVISERS/STAFF

(i)Military Adviser, Permanent Mission to UN, New York 1

(ii)Military Adviser, Irish Delegation to OSCE, Vienna 1

(iii)Military Representative to EU (Brussels) 4

(iv)Liaison Officer of Ireland, NATO /PfP (Brussels) 2

(v)EU OHQ Operation Althea, Mons, Belgium 1

(vi)Irish Liaison Officer to SHAPE &Military Co-Op Division, Mons, Belgium 1

TOTAL NUMBER OF DEFENCE FORCES PERSONNEL SERVING OVERSEAS418