O’Snodaigh totally ignorant of Defence brief – Minister O’Dea

A statement released today by Deputy Aengus O'Snodaigh suggesting the Dail is being by-passed when deploying Defence Force personnel to Afghanistan is factually incorrect and deliberately misleading.  Deputy O'Snodaigh is either totally ignorant of the Defence Act or is attempting to mislead the public for political gain, stated Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea TD.

In his statement he claims that ‘It has now emerged that that the Dáil is being bypassed in the decision making regarding soldiers being sent to prop up the US/NATO led forces in Afghanistan’ and ‘the Government has given permission for 14 soldiers to serve in Afghanistan without seeking Dail approval’. This is simply not true. My answer to the Parliamentary Question which he has included in his press release clearly states that the size of the Defence Forces contingent serving with the UN mandated operation in Afghanistan is 7.  In fact this is stated no less than five times in my PQ reply.  How many more times does it need to be stated for Deputy O’Snodaigh to understand it?

His quoting a figure of 14 is akin to him suggesting that Sinn Fein has 12 TDs serving in the Dáil this week because their four TDs were present on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

Deputy O’Snodaigh is clearly ignorant of the Defence Amendment Act (2) of 1960 which states:

(2) A contingent of the Permanent Defence Force may be despatched for service outside the State with a particular International United Nations Force without a resolution approving of such despatch having been passed by Dáil Éireann if, but only if—

                ( a ) that International United Nations Force is unarmed, or

                ( b ) the contingent consists of not more than twelve members of the Permanent Defence Force, and the number of members of the Permanent Defence Force serving outside the State with that International United Nations Force will not, by reason of such despatch, be increased to a number exceeding twelve, or

                ( c ) the contingent is intended to replace, in whole or in part, or reinforce a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force serving outside the State as part of that International United Nations Force and consisting of more than twelve members of the Permanent Defence Force.

Since 2002 the Government has approved on an annual basis the participation of 7 members of the PDF to the ISAF force in Afghanistan, not 14.  There are only 7 personnel comprising of 4 officers and 3 non commissioned officers, serving in Afghanistan at any one time.  How Deputy O’Snodaigh can say there are 14 soldiers serving in Afghanistan is a mystery to me. The deployment of members of Óglaigh na hÉireann on any UN mandated mission is too serious a matter for such cheap politicking.

I have sent Deputy O’Snodaigh a copy of the above section of Defence Amendment Act (2) 1960 for his use.  Perhaps he will consult it before issuing any more ill informed statements, concluded Minister O’Dea.