Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 May 2024
103. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 9 April 2024, if any Irish Defence Forces personnel took part in any of the secondary tasks of Operation Irini; if so, which tasks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19718/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraOperation Irini is a UN mandated EU Naval mission in the eastern Mediterranean and its primary task is the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya using aerial, satellite and maritime assets. The mission was launched on 31 March 2020 with the aim creating the conditions for a permanent ceasefire in Libya by stemming the flow of weapons into the country.
Ireland currently has three members of the Defence Forces deployed to the Operational Headquarters of the Operation Irini mission in Rome in staff officer posts and a further officer is assigned to the Floating Headquarters. Government approval was secured for these appointments on 18 May 2020.
Additionally, in 2023, following Government and Dáil approval, the L.É. William Butler Yeats and a crew of 58 personnel deployed as part of Operation Irini for a period of six weeks in the summer of 2023 demonstrating Ireland’s support for the important role the EU can play in support of international peace and security.
In addition to its primary task, Operation Irini has a number of secondary tasks: monitoring of oil smuggling from Libya; capacity-building of the Libyan Coastguard; and the detection and monitoring of human smuggling networks.
As part of their deployment in June and July of 2023, the L.É. William Butler Yeats and its crew of 58 Defence Forces personnel conducted the following operations.
• Counter Illegal Arms Trafficking and Gathering Information on Oil Smuggling;
• L.É. William Butler Yeats completed 71 Hailing's and conducted six (6) Friendly Approaches;
• It also gathered information by hailing vessels on VHF radio and capturing images of vessels.
With regard to Capacity Building and Training of the Libyan Coast Guard, Ireland had formally declared caveats to the Operational Headquarters in Rome to indicate that Ireland would not engage in any such training. In any event there are currently no ongoing activities in the secondary task of Capacity Building and Training to the Libyan Coast Guard.
The current mandate of Op Irini expires in March 2025. A mid-term strategic assessment of the mission took place earlier this year with a strategic review of the mission due to take place before the expiry of the mandate.
