EU battlegroups
Mr. Gormley: With regard to the memorandum of understanding between the members of the Nordic battle group, is it not the case that it does not include a reference to Ireland’s requirement for a triple lock or UN mandate? Will the Minister lodge a copy of this document in the Oireachtas Library? Will he arrange for a discussion on it given that it has far-reaching consequences?
Mr. O’Dea: I have consulted my officials about making the document available and will be pleased to do so if there are no barriers to publication. A memorandum of understanding would not usually refer to the requirements of contributing members. It simply outlines details of how the various contingents will operate together, who will perform what function etc. It is not supposed to refer to the legal, political or other requirements for participation. Sweden is the framework nation of the Nordic battle group and the Swedish Government has known throughout the process that Ireland has a triple lock requirement. I have advised it of this matter and it accepts that the law here states that troops cannot be deployed on a UN peacekeeping mission without each of the three requirements of the triple lock mechanism being met.
The Nordic battle group will be on stand-by for the first six months of 2008. If the European Union were to decide in February or March 2008 to deploy the Nordic battle group, in which we have an explosives contingent consisting of 80 to 100 troops, the legal position would be that Ireland would not be able to deploy troops if each of the three triple lock requirements were not met. That position will continue