Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I am very happy to reassure Deputy Sherlock on the last point. We must carry out a security assessment before troops are committed to any mission. As we speak, a risk assessment operation is under way.

The Deputy asked about peacekeeping and peace enforcement, and a great deal depends on how one interprets either term. According to the data which accompanied the UN request for soldiers, it appears the mission in southern Sudan is a peacekeeping operation. Others might interpret it differently. I will ask my officials to send Deputy Sherlock the information which accompanied the request. That should be possible and it would allow the Deputy to judge the matter for himself.

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