Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Deenihan is right about the isolation of this mission. I understand the terrain is barren and that the deployment and sustainment of the troops must be done mainly by air. That will involve putting in airstrips and so on, which we are discussing with the French, pending the final decision on the mission.

Without wishing to be flippant, I would procure anything if the Department of Finance gave me the money to do it. We work within our budget. The military advise me that our need for this sort of facility is so rare that it does not justify the cost. We have arrangements in place with commercial suppliers. Sometimes we link up with other people on the mission, in this case, the French, who provide the appropriate air transport. In the context of expenditure on defence and our weapon modernisation programme I am advised that a purchase of this sort, which would be expensive and difficult to maintain, would not be used enough to be cost-efficient.

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