Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

601. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence , further to Parliamentary Question No. 21 of 24 November 2022, if he will provide an update on Ireland's involvement in the European Union Military Assistance Mission Ukraine, EUMAM Ukraine; the status of plans for the training of Ukrainian soldiers on EU soil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13699/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 21 February 2023, the Government approved the participation of up to 30 Defence Forces’ personnel in the newly established European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine).

The primary role of the Defence Forces will be to provide training to members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) in one or more EU Member States in which the training will take place. These trainers will be supplemented by a small number of staff positions based in the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) staff based in Brussels, Belgium and in the multi-national Special Training Command (STC) in Strausberg, Germany.

In respect of training, Ireland’s Defence Forces has significant expertise in a number of areas where we believe we can bring some added-value to the mission, including in areas such as C-IED training (Counter Improvised Explosive Devices), EOD training (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), Combat Medical and Engineering.

Given that the DF have capacity to provide training in a relatively limited number of areas, it will be necessary to match that capacity with the identified training needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF). Until such time as this is done, it is difficult to anticipate exactly when and in what areas the DF will commence the delivery of such training. However, it is anticipated that the delivery of training can commence relatively soon.

Depending on the matching of the DF's limited training capacity with the identified training needs of the UAF, it is expected that small training teams will be deployed for short periods, not normally for more than a few weeks at a time.