Irish troops could be taking part in EU battlegroups by the end of next year, Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea confirmed tonight.
Mr O'Dea told the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee that he expects the Dáil to approve legislation on the issue before the summer recess.
Amendments to the 1960 Defence Act will allow the Defence Forces to participate in rapidly-deployed multinational battlegroups to support international peace and security missions.
All operations must receive the 'triple-lock' approval of the Government and the Dáil as well as the UN Security Council.
"If the legislation is in place by the summer recess, some time during the latter part of next year, we will be in a position to participate," Mr O'Dea told the all-party committee.
The legislation changes will also allow the Government to send troops on humanitarian missions to natural disasters like the tsunami in Asia or the earthquake in Pakistan.
Soldiers can currently only be deployed to such regions only as volunteers with aid agencies.
Irish troops may need additional training and equipment before they are deployed in the overseas missions, the minister said.
He told the committee he believed that 'battlegroup' was an unfortunate phrase. "It has connotations that some would exploit to arouse baseless fears," he explained.
But Government TD Barry Andrews disagreed: "I'm tired of euphemisms. I'm tired of people watering down phrases to try to placate others."