Overseas Defence Forces to be reduced

IRELAND WILL reduce the number of Defence Force personnel serving overseas by almost 300, a move which is expected to save the State €7 million this year and €13 million in a full year.

Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea confirmed to the Dáil yesterday that 186 Irish peacekeepers will withdraw from Kosovo in April, leaving 50 in place until October when the number will be further reduced. In July, Ireland will reduce its current contribution of 44 personnel in Bosnia-Herzegovina to five.

However, Mr O’Dea also confirmed the State’s intention to retain “the Defence Forces” presence in Chad beyond March 14th, 2010, subject to renewal by the UN Security Council of the mandate. Mr O’Dea said during defence question time that “when these wind-downs have taken place, the number of personnel working overseas will fall from 758 to 480”.

Questioned by Fine Gael defence spokesman Jimmy Deenihan about the reduction in overall Defence Force numbers and concern that it was well below the necessary minimum of 10,000, Mr O’Dea insisted that “the figure is 35 or 36 below 10,000”.

Mr Deenihan said “the general moratorium on promotions is having an effect on command structures. Personnel are not being appointed to the upper ranks where they are critically needed.” Mr O’Dea however confirmed the promotion of 13 officers and 37 non-commissioned officers. He added that he hoped to get “more concessions” from the Minister for Finance for further promotions and recruitments.

Mr O’Dea said that the “normal annual fall-out” of personnel leaving the Defence Forces was between 530 and 540, but the numbers who left in 2009 “may have been slightly over 540”.

He insisted however that he had “received the approval of the Government to maintain a complement of 10,000. We are in discussions with the Department of Finance about that decision at the moment.”

Niall Collins (FF, Limerick West) asked about the factors taken into account “when considering involvement in a mission such as one in Haiti, if one were in the offing” and the costs in peacekeeping operations.

The Minister said they had to look at “whether a peacekeeping operation is the most appropriate response” and, how the mission relates the priorities of Irish foreign policy, the degree of risk involved”.