Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

The camp in Chad will be approximately 1,500 km inland and we have no air carrying capacity to support our own mission there. Will the Minister consider procuring a special airforce transport plane with a carrying capacity of approximately 50 to give the capability to the Air Corps to support that mission? We rely on others to provide back-up, such as the medical back-up service and to transport our troops in and out of their locations usually for four month stretches. In between if emergencies arise we must rely on others and their availability to service the Irish mission. There is a case for the Air Corps to procure such a transport plane with capacity for at least 50 which could also carry goods and supplies.

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