Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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991. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which further overseas deployment of the Defence Forces with the UN are envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27445/16]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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As of 01 September 2016, Ireland is contributing 498 Defence Forces personnel to 11 different missions throughout the world, along with deployments to two standby Battlegroup Headquarters and a range of international organisations and National Representations. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 219 personnel, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 136 personnel and the Naval Service humanitarian miss ion in the Mediterranean with 59 personnel.

Irish soldiers deployed to UNIFIL serve alongside Finnish Armed Forces as part of a joint Battalion which is currently under Finnish command. Ireland takes over command of the Battalion from Finland in November 2016 at which time an additional Company of some 150 personnel will be deployed to UNIFIL bringing Ireland’s contribution to this mission to 370 personnel.

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. When considering any particular request, the existence of realistic objectives and a clear mandate, which has the potential to contribute to a political solution, consideration of how the mission relates to the priorities of Irish foreign policy and the degree of risk involved are amongst the factors considered.

The Government’s White Paper on Defence includes a commitment to review Ireland's declared contribution to United Nations Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System ( PCRS ) (formerly UNSAS) and the EU Headline Goal; to include consideration of the potential deployability of the full range of Defence Forces' capabilities including Army, Air Corps and Naval Service capabilities and assets on peace support and crisis management operations. This review will commence in 2017.

The current contribution of some 498 Defence Forces personnel to overseas missions reflects the Government’s continued commitment to our responsibilities in the area of international peace and security.

Full details of all personnel currently serving overseas are as follows:

Members of the Permanent Defence Force Serving Overseas

As of 01 September 2016

1. UN MISSIONS

(i) UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) HQ - 30

UNIFIL 53^rdInfantry Group -185

UNIFIL Sector West HQ - 4

(ii) UNTSO (United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation) Israel & Syria - 11

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

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

(v) UNOCI (United Nations Mission in Ivory Coast) - 1

(vi) UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) HQ, Golan Heights, Syria- 7

UNDOF 52^ndInfantry Group-129

TOTAL 368

UN MANDATED MISSIONS

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

(viii) EUTM Mali (EU-Led Training Mission) - 15

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

2. OTHER DEPLOYMENTS

Naval Service Humanitarian Mission in Mediterranean L.É. James Joyce - 59

TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONNEL SERVING WITH UN MISSIONS - 467

3. 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

4. EU MILITARY STAFF

Brussels - 4

5. EU BATTLE GROUP

German-led Battle Group 2016 - HQ, STRASBOURG - 10

UK-led Battle Group 2016, UK - 5

6. 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 OVERSEAS - 498