asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount due to Ireland arising out of UNIFIL operations in the Lebanon and the steps being taken to recover the amount outstanding.

Before replying directly to the Deputy's question, I should first like to point out how the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is financed.

By decision of the Security Council UNIFIL is financed by contributions from all UN member states. However, because some countries withhold their contributions to UNIFIL, there has been a shortfall to date of about 26 per cent in the amount of money available to run the force. After it has met its own direct costs, the UN reimburses troop contributors for their extra costs with the money available under various headings approved by the General Assembly such as additional pay and allowances, usage factor for personal wear and equipment, depreciation costs, supplies costs and death and disability claims.

It is estimated that for the period May 1978, when we first joined UNIFIL, to April 1980, the amount of money which could be claimed by Ireland under the various reimbursements headings would be about £9.3 million. Because of the limited amount of money available for reimbursement to troop contributors, however, it seems unlikely at present that this country will receive more than £4.7 million of the foregoing of which approximately £3.6 million has been received to date.

The extra cost actually incurred, over and above regular expenses such as ordinary pay, in providing a contingent for service with UNIFIL, is however less than our entitlement under the reimbursement arrangements. It is estimated that over the period already mentioned, May 1978-April 1980, this extra cost did not exceed £6.2 million. On the basis that £4.7 million of these costs would be reimbursed by the UN the net extra cost to the State of providing a contingent for the first two years would be about £1.5 million. On the same basis the net extra cost to the State of providing a contingent for a further six months would be about £400,000. I should emphasise the figures given can only be rough estimates at this stage.

Since it became evident about a year ago that there would be a shortfall in reimbursements, the matter has been urgently pursued by the Irish mission in New York at the United Nations and in conjunction with other troop-contributors. The mission has maintained close contact with the Secretariat in the matter. Furthermore, the Irish delegation to the recent UN General Assembly played a prominent role in drafting and presenting the resolution dealing with the financing of UNIFIL and ensured that these resolutions contained specific provisions aimed at improving the financial situation of UNIFIL. In addition to some technical improvements, the major such provisions were:

the creation of a Special UNIFIL account to receive voluntary contributions for the force was set up and the UN Secretary-General will make a twice-yearly appeal for such contributions.

a review of the standard rates of reimbursement to troop contributors will be carried out at the next UN General Assembly this autumn. In view of increased costs, the case for an increase in the rates will be clear. The UN Secretariat has in fact already begun to examine cost figures supplied by troop-contributors.

I am of course continuing to take any action open to me to bring about an improvement in the finances of the force.

We are somewhat confused by all these figures. Could the Minister say simply what do we now claim is due and how do we hope to collect it?

The net amount due at the moment would be about £1.5 million. That is the net extra cost for the two years we have been there.

Does the Minister hope to collect that?

Yes.

When?

We are following it up, doing what we can.