Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

255. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to detail any instances in the past twenty years of a UN peacekeeping mission in which Ireland was to partake, being blocked or not proceeding due to a vote, or the use of a veto, at the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12308/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland has always been a strong supporter of the United Nations and UN Peacekeeping. Our commitment and support for the primary role of the United Nations, in the maintenance of international peace and security, is expressed in Ireland's long-standing tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations. Ireland has a proud tradition of participation in UN and UN-authorised peacekeeping operations, as the only country with an unbroken record of service since 1958. Our peacekeepers are recognised internationally for their expertise and experience.

Under the UN Charter, the UN Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. In fulfilling its mandate, the Security Council may adopt a range of measures, including the establishment of a UN mission or the authorisation of action by a group of States or a regional organisation, such as the European Union or the African Union. However, no new peacekeeping or peace enforcement missions have been approved by the UN Security Council since 2014.

In terms of the exercising of vetos, the Deputy will be aware that the five permanent members of the Council can use their veto power to prevent the Security Council from taking decisions, including those related to the mandates of peacekeeping operations. In practice, the threat of a veto by a permanent member, rather than its actual use, is often enough to prevent the Council from taking action.

Examples of this include when the possibility of a veto emerged in 2022 in relation to the renewal of UN authorisation for EUFOR Operation Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ireland, as a member of the UN Security Council at the time, played a key role in securing the renewal of the UN mandate for this mission, where five members of the Defence Forces are currently deployed. Had we been unsuccessful in our efforts however, our contingent would have had to withdraw, given the current provisions under the Triple Lock. The Deputy may also be aware that in Bosnia-Herzegovina currently, with regard to the current impasse around the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, Mr Dodik has threatened to ask Russia to remove EUFOR-Althea's UN Security Council mandate, which would also require the withdrawal of the Irish contingent to that mission under the current legislation.

A further example was in 1999, when a permanent member of the UN Security Council vetoed the renewal of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. As the subsequent EU peace operation in the state did not have a Security Council mandate, Ireland was also unable to participate in that mission.

Other examples where the lack of a UNSC mandate precluded DF involvement were in 2015, when the EU established a security mission in the Mediterranean known as Operation Sophia, the mission did not have a UN mandate until 2016, and Ireland as a result could not participate until then.

Finally, in 2017, the Maritime Analysis Operation Centre Narcotics, (MAOC(N)) which is an international maritime intelligence centre supported by the EU, requested a Naval Service ship to assist with maritime drug interdiction operations. Although Ireland is a strong supporter of the Centre and was in fact one of the founding members, a ship could not even be considered given that there would no UN mandate for such an operation.