Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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157. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the Defence Forces' planned involvement in the German-led battle group in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15978/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The planned Defence Forces contribution to the German-led Battlegroup in 2020 will involve a Special Operations Task Group comprising a Special Operations Forces Platoon, Engineer Special Search Capability, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Capability and a Security Platoon 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 will be about 148. However, this level of resource commitment will only arise should the Battlegroup be called on to undertake an operation and should Ireland agree to participate.

The Government decision of 6 February to participate in the 2020 Battlegroup does not presume any future decision in relation to deploying the Defence Forces on an actual Battlegroup operation.  Ireland’s participation in an actual Battlegroup operation would, as always, be subject to the usual “Triple Lock” requirements of a UN Mandate and Government and Dáil approval, as appropriate, in accordance with the Defence Acts.  Ireland continues to retain the absolute right to determine for itself, on a case-by-case basis, whether or not it will participate in any particular Battlegroup operation.

The number of personnel involved leading up to and during the standby period, where the Battlegroup has not been mobilised to undertake an operation will be in the region of 10. These personnel, mainly staff officers and NCOs, will be engaged in training and planning activities serving in various appointments and posts, in the Operational and Force Headquarters in Ulm, Germany.

Discussions are ongoing on the Battlegroup Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which is an agreement between the confirmed participants comprising the Battlegroup, namely Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Ireland, Croatia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.  This sets out principles in relation to the operation, deployment and management of the Battlegroup. While the advice to me is that Dáil approval of the MoU is not required, in the interest of transparency, I have decided to proceed on the basis of a voluntary invocation of the procedure under Article 29 of the Constitution and to seek the approval of Dáil Éireann for the MoU once it is finalised. 

Ireland’s active engagement in EU Battlegroups demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to the development of EU capabilities in the area of crisis management and contributes to our overall credibility within the Union.  It also enhances our capacity to influence the ongoing development and evolution of the rapid response capacity of the EU; in particular, the role Battlegroups can play in reinforcing and acting as a strategic reserve for UN blue-hat operations.