Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I have outlined for the Deputy the deployment of seven members of the Defence Forces and the work they do. That work has been an important contribution in a very difficult area.

It would be interesting, for once, to hear the Deputy explain how she would solve the problems of a very difficult and fraught country such as Afghanistan. I do not have the solutions for the difficulties in that region. We must play our role on the international stage in participating in peacekeeping missions that are UN mandated. It is unfortunate that the Deputy does not recognise the valuable role played by our Defence Forces in this area. The Deputy seems to yearn for a period when the Taliban were in control of that country.

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