Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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493. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline Ireland’s relationship with NATO under the NATO-PfP; the funding that Ireland has supplied under the NATO-PfP to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54798/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s relations with NATO are set within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and Partnership for Peace (PfP), including its Planning and Review Process (PARP). Ireland joined EAPC and Partnership for Peace (PfP) on 1 December 1999.

The primary aim of Ireland's PfP participation is to enhance the Defence Forces’ interoperability with other professional military forces for the purpose of engaging in UN authorised peacekeeping and peace support operations led by the UN, EU or NATO. Participation in PfP is fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN. Membership of PfP has allowed the Defence Forces to gain access to NATO standards which are internationally recognised as representing best practice for the development of military capabilities.

PfP is a voluntary and cooperative framework between NATO and individual non-members of NATO and as such there is no funding obligations arising from Ireland’s involvement. In order to manage our partnership with NATO, Ireland maintains an office in a NATO building in Brussels, the rental and maintenance costs of which are directly payable to NATO.

Separately, the Department of Foreign Affairs has made a number of voluntary contributions to NATO Trust Funds which provide capacity-building support to partners including Jordan, Georgia, Tunisia, Serbia and Moldova, as well as other UN Troop Contributing Countries. Ireland has provided this support where the activities supported by the Trust Fund align with Ireland’s foreign and security policy. Other associated costs made by the Department of Defence relate to the Defence Forces attendance at NATO Training centres, secure communication costs and our engagement in the NATO Cyber Defence of Excellence Centre in Tallin.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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494. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when and by whom the decision was made to affirm Ireland's participation in the EU military assistance mission; the number of Irish personnel to be provided; the capacity in which; the duration of their participation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54932/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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On 17 October, the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted a Council Decision establishing and launching an EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). The Mission will provide specialised training to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and coordinate existing Member State training activities. The mission has been developed within the framework of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

The objective of this assistance mission is to train Ukrainian soldiers on EU soil to respond to the urgent short-term needs expressed by Ukraine and to aid Ukraine in exercising its inherent right of self-defence against Russian aggression in defence of its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

While it has always been and remains a matter for each Member State to decide whether or not to participate in any given military or civilian CSDP mission or operation, I have supported the establishment of this mission and Defence Forces' participation in it. Already, Ireland has been invited to fill a senior staff position in the mission’s Operational Headquarters, which will operate within the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) in Brussels. My officials and the Defence Forces are also engaged with Ukraine to assess how best to respond to a specific request from the Ukrainian Prime Minister for support in the area of demining.