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Up to 30 Irish troops will travel to Europe to train Ukrainian troops in 'non-lethal' skills

The cabinet confirmed the move this morning and will see the troops deployed in the coming months to the newly established EUMAM Ukraine.

LAST UPDATE | 21 Feb 2023

THE GOVERNMENT HAS cleared the way for 30 Irish troops who are instructors in battlefield medics, bomb disposal and engineering to help train Ukrainian soldiers as part of an EU mission. 

The cabinet confirmed the move this morning and will see the troops deployed in the coming months to the newly established European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine).

The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD welcomed the move. 

“EUMAM Ukraine will provide vital training support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the coordination of EU Member States’ activities delivering the training.

“Given Ireland’s steadfast support for Ukraine and the considerable experience our Defence Forces have in providing training both at home and overseas, the Government regards the participation of the Defence Forces in this mission as an important signal of Ireland’s unwavering support for and solidarity with Ukraine,” he said. 

A source has confirmed that it is anticipated that the focus of the Irish participation will be on medics, de-mining methods and engineering capabilities. 

A statement from the Department of Defence said that the primary role of the Defence Forces will be to provide training to members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) in one or more European countries where the training will take place.

These trainers will be supplemented by a small number of staff positions based in the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) staff based in Brussels, Belgium and in the multi-national Special Training Command (STC) in Strausberg, Germany.

The mission was planned after the Council of the EU launched the EUMAM Ukraine last year.

The DOD said that the aim of the operation is to “enhance the military capability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces” to allow them to continue to defend their country and protect the civilian population.

“The mission is already up and running, and operates on a needs-based approach, answering to Ukrainian training needs.

“EUMAM Ukraine has a mandate to provide individual, collective and specialised training to up to 15,000 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel over multiple locations in the territory of EU member states, subject to the explicit consent of each host Member State,” a statement said. 

Ireland currently has a senior staff position in the mission’s Operational Headquarters, which will operate within the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) staff in Brussels, as part of the EU Military Staff.

Ireland will offer training teams to augment training delivered by other EU nations, and staff in Brussels and Strausberg, Germany will co-ordinate delivery of training on a multi-national basis.

The plan is that Defence Forces’ personnel will deploy to deliver the training as soon as the Irish soldier’s capabilities match the needs of the Ukrainian forces. 

The supply of equipment, both lethal and non-lethal, which is provided by Member States is funded by the European Peace Facility (EPF).

Ireland’s funding contribution to the EPF is directed exclusively to non-lethal elements, consistent with the terms of the Programme for Government.

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31 Comments
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    Mute Brian Boru
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    Feb 21st 2023, 3:16 PM

    This terrible government keeps chipping away at our neutrality

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    Mute Declan McKenna
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    Feb 21st 2023, 4:40 PM

    @Brian Boru:
    Perfect analysis. Step by military step moving into NATO and/or EU army ~ always, of course, in the name of ‘peace’ or ‘humanitarian intervention’.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Feb 21st 2023, 6:06 PM

    @Brian Boru: we are only neutral because someone sometime said we were. We depend on the RAF to protect our western border and should we have any emergencies. Neutral nations should be able to defend themselves ala Sweden, Finland, Austria, Japan and Switzerland. And neutrality is not in our Constitution.

    Whether you like it or not…the Russian Ambassador Filatov was spot on….Irelands neutrality is ambiguous.

    And we need to keep helping Ukraine, which country is next if we don’t.

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    Mute Kevin Farrell
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    Feb 24th 2023, 2:02 PM

    @Paul Furey: There is no requirement for a neutral or any other country to be “able to defend itself”. The world would be a much better place if money was spent on reducing poverty and living in harmony with the environment rather than on more and more lethal means of people killing each other.

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    Mute RogersRabbit
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    Feb 21st 2023, 3:21 PM

    Send them into Ballyfermot.

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    Mute Fuji Hakayito
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    Feb 21st 2023, 3:28 PM

    @RogersRabbit: send Nolan to Ballyfermot, wig and all.

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    Mute John Mcmahon
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    Feb 21st 2023, 5:08 PM

    This is wrong and should be stopped

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Feb 21st 2023, 6:08 PM

    @John Mcmahon: why is it wrong?

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 2:59 AM

    @John Mcmahon: What’s wrong exactly? Our guys are meeting up with them in Europe and training some medics, anti mining training etc. What part of that is wrong?

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    Mute Jim O'Sullivan
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    Feb 21st 2023, 5:07 PM

    Our “leaders” are just putting themselves in line for one of the many cushy jobs that these international military organisations have to offer as they face into being consigned to the political dustbin at the next election.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Feb 21st 2023, 6:09 PM

    @Jim O’Sullivan: the ones we voted in?

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    Mute Shedonny
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    Feb 23rd 2023, 5:43 PM

    @Jim O’Sullivan:
    The Irish Times, the Journal, RTE, Independent and many more are pushing for us to join NATO.

    Some points that should be kept in mind.

    NATO membership requires us to spend a minimum of 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defence. Money that will not be spent in this country, as the biggest arms manufacturers are mostly in the US, with the UK and France getting some of the action. No wonder they love the war! Of course a percentage of the vast amounts involved will have to be shared with the locals, as is customary around the world.

    NATO membership also requires us to host NATO (i.e.US) bases in Ireland, over which we will have absolutely no control. We won’t know what missiles are there, nuclear or not, and of course will be required to join any of the wars decided upon by the US.
    NATO (i.e. US) military personnel who commit crimes in Ireland outside the bases will not be handed over to the Irish authorities for trial but will be tried by US military courts. We all know how that works out.
    Irish sovereignty will have disappeared.

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    Mute Cullen Cullen
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    Feb 21st 2023, 3:15 PM

    Putin must be shaking in his boots

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    Mute Fuji Hakayito
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    Feb 21st 2023, 3:24 PM

    @Cullen Cullen: our soldiers are trained to a very high standard, so what exactly is your snide remark insinuating?

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Feb 21st 2023, 3:35 PM

    @Fuji Hakayito: probably the non lethal skills part?

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Feb 21st 2023, 6:07 PM

    @Fuji Hakayito: so many here posting do not like anything Irish.

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    Mute catinthehat
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    Feb 21st 2023, 6:15 PM

    @Cullen Cullen: HAHAHAHA ;)

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 2:46 AM

    @John Murphy: The non lethal skills part is critical in the planning and execution of the lethal skilll part.

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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 2:54 AM

    @Cullen Cullen: Hey….I think it’s funny. Irish humour. And if some of our precious (suddenly and always ready to be offended) fellow Irish people do not get it…. their hangup.

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    Mute Keth Warsaw
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 2:55 AM

    @Fuji Hakayito: Lighten up.

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    Mute Pat Man
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    Feb 21st 2023, 5:53 PM

    As a neutral nation we should not be sending any troops to Ukraine.This government is hell bent on undermining our long established and well respected neutral status.

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    Mute Chris Purcell
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    Feb 21st 2023, 6:48 PM

    @Pat Man: I doubt very much they will be sent to Ukraine itself. It says “They will travel to Europe to train Ukrainian troops”. Meaning they will be sent to Germany or Poland I guess to train them. A big difference than Irish boots on Ukrainian soil to train them.

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 3:01 AM

    @Pat Man: As a neutral nation we are not sending troops to Ukraine. Feel free to withdraw your comment and consider reading past the headline before quickly scrolling down to have a moan about the government. The training takes place in a few locations in the EU, and for Irelands part, our instructors will be medics focusing on that area as well as disarming mines etc.

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    Mute Dave Ryan
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    Feb 21st 2023, 5:25 PM

    Brilliant experience for the troops….many serving members will only be delighted to go and help…. stop confusing the politics and policies of the government with what professional soldiers actually want to do with the skills they have learned….they will be very happy to go teach and help with the training of Ukraine troops ….we have some of the best trained soldiers in Europe and can adapt to any situation

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    Mute Slim Browne
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 12:56 AM

    @Dave Ryan: this war can be fought without any Irish influence no matter how small, its none of our business, we’re a small Island on the edge of Europe with more problems than most, no proper Health Service, Billions in debt, housing crisis, no Defence Force and we’ve taken in almost 90.000 Ukrainians who won’t go home because they have no home to go to, I’m no fan of Putin but this Zelenski lad takes the biscuit, even the Ukrainians are beginning to see tru him, he’s getting his people slaughtered, he got the Israeli PM to ask Putin if he was going to kill him and when Putin he wudnt he crawled out of his bunker and became GI Joe, he wanted NATO to Nuke Russian Nuclear positions so they cudnt use their Nukes, what kind of person thinks like that only a mad man.

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    Mute Slim Browne
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 1:04 AM

    @Dave Ryan: I think u might be going a bit over the top there, ur probably in the Army so I can understand ur thinking, but really!!!!!!

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 2:48 AM

    @Slim Browne: Wow – you sure did use a lot of words there to say nothing. Impressive.

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    Mute Gavin Conran
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 2:49 AM

    @Slim Browne: Which part of that do you find hard to believe?

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    Mute Jason Byrne
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    Feb 21st 2023, 4:52 PM

    I hope they’re not sending army cooks. They’re the most lethal soldiers in any barracks.

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    Mute David Lydon
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    Feb 22nd 2023, 10:27 AM

    This now makes us a legitimate target for Russia China and rest of the natos enemies. Completely against the democratic will of the people.

    The country is now run by a cabal who know what’s best for us and an unstable army desires to send kids off to get killed so they can share NATOs toys

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    Mute Gareth Murphy
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    Feb 25th 2023, 9:52 AM

    @David Lydon: We’re already considered a target by Russia. You might not like it but the reality is that Ireland is politically, economically and culturally aligned with Europe and that is where our interests lie and Russia is an opposing nation. That’s just the reality of the situation. We can either have a seat at the table and help shape policy or stay out in the cold and watch policy, which directly affects us, be shaped by others.

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