Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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34. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the details of military exercises involving Irish soldiers and European Union battle groups; and other joint military exercises that have taken place in the past year, the other countries which were involved in the exercises; if he plans such exercises in the future;and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16872/16]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Participation in the EU Battlegroups demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to the development of EU capabilities in the area of crisis management and contributes to our reputation as professional and effective peacekeepers and our credibility within the Union.

In January 2014, the Government approved Ireland’s participation in the German led EU Battlegroup 2016, which will be on standby for the second six months of 2016. The other members of the Battlegroup are Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The Defence Forces contribution to the German Battlegroup will involve an ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target, Acquisition and Reconnaissance) Company together with staff posts at both the Operational and Force headquarters. The total number of Irish Defence Force personnel that will be involved in the German Battlegroup, should it deploy will be about 175.

In July 2015, the Government approved Ireland’s participation in the UK Battlegroup, which will also be on standby for the second six months of 2016. The total number of Irish Defence Force personnel involved in the UK Battlegroup will be five and they will be deployed in the Operational and Force headquarters. Apart from Ireland, the other members of the Battlegroup are UK, Sweden, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania.

For the most part, Battlegroup training takes place in the contributing member States. For example, Irish troops are mainly trained in Ireland, Swedish troops in Sweden etc.

The pre-standby period for a Battlegroup involves a range of intensive planning exercises, training, and desktop and actual exercises for the different components of the Battlegroup and for the Battlegroup as a whole. This is essential so as to prepare Battlegroup personnel for the eventualities they may face if called upon to deploy on operations. As the Deputy will appreciate, from a force protection perspective, you would not want to have a situation where the first time a Battlegroup rapid response contingent actually meet and commence operations is on an operational deployment into a conflict zone. Exercises are designed to simulate the situations that may arise at the strategic, operational and tactical level so as the Battlegroup can operate as an effective and coherent military response. In Ireland's case participation in that response will be on the basis of supporting or reinforcing a mission a UN Mandated mission or a humanitarian operation.

Joint exercises in relation to both the German and UK led Battlegroups only commenced in January 2016. There were no exercises conducted in 2015.

In respect of the German led EU Battlegroup, ten Defence Force personnel, who will be deployed to the Force Headquarters, took part in a Command and Staff Certification exercise in Strasbourg, France in early 2016. A further Force Headquarters certification exercise took place in May, 2016, which included staff from the Defence Forces ISTAR component. A number of Irish Personnel from the ISTAR company and the Force Headquarters participated in the overall exercise for the German Battlegroup in Germany in April 2016.

Ireland completed its national exercise for its contribution to the German Battlegroup in the Glen of Imaal and Kilworth in March 2016. No other countries participated in this exercise which was observed by the Force Commander of the German led Battlegroup.

In March 2016, the five Defence Force personnel, who will be deployed to UK Battlegroup took part in a Force Headquarters Command and Staff exercise in the UK. In May 2016, they participated in a Battle Group Certification Exercise, comprising the entire Battlegroup which was conducted on Salisbury Plains, UK. In April 2016, a Political Exercise was conducted in London, UK, bringing together civilian and military decision makers from the participating countries, to exercise the political and policy decision making processes for the Battlegroup.

No further joint training exercises for either Battlegroup are currently envisaged.