Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The deployment of the 123rd Infantry Battalion to the UNIFIL in Lebanon is well underway and is expected to be completed later this week. On November 14^th, 156 personnel deployed to the mission and the remainder are due to deploy on 24th November.

In the event that there are insufficient numbers of volunteer personnel to fulfil all of the mission specific appointments, the Defence Forces utilises a process of Mandatory Selection. Defence Forces personnel are mandatorily selected for overseas service in accordance with the provisions laid down in the relevant Administrative Instruction. This process includes an appeals mechanism.

Personnel that are qualified to fulfil the appointments, but who have not volunteered for overseas service, are identified by their unit and formally interviewed by their Unit Commander. Depending on the individual’s personal or professional circumstances, the Unit Commander will either recommend or not recommend the individual for mandatory selection.

There are further selection criteria applied to those personnel who are considered qualified and recommended for mandatory selection by their Commanding Officer. This includes a provision whereby personnel should not be considered for mandatory selection without the prior approval of Deputy Chief of Staff (Support), if they have returned from overseas service in the previous two years.

Of those 156 personnel who commenced their deployment on November 14^th, it was necessary to fill one (1) post through mandatory selection.

With regard to the issue of personnel staying on in mission, I am advised that the Defence Forces do not ask personnel to ‘stay on’. I am informed, however, that 12 personnel serving with the 122nd Infantry Battalion volunteered to remain with the battalion and were subsequently selected to serve with the 123rd Infantry Battalion.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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68. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the information he has been given regarding the alleged incident in Kilworth Camp that was reported in media recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50691/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that I have been briefed by the military authorities on this incident. The matter is the subject of an ongoing Military Police investigation and I will not, therefore, be making any further comment at this time.