Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Until Lieutenant General Pat Nash, operational commander of the EU mission to Chad, gives his approval we will not proceed but today's motion, I understand, relates only to the first 50 troops to be sent in December. It is hoped that the issue of air transport will be resolved if it has not yet been resolved because the situation in the area is difficult. Rebels in Sudan have been on the move of late, as they were this time last year, and this has made the situation problematic in the past week. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, visited the area two weeks ago and reported to the House on the situation. There will ultimately be 800 Irish troops in the region and the first group to arrive will be the Army Ranger wing, which is to make preparations. Lieutenant General Nash feels that sending this group will not present a difficulty but we will have to decide what to do after that.

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