Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

We do not have sufficient air assets or medical facilities and we need substantial assistance in these areas. I appeal again to our European partners in this regard. The whole future of European security and defence is at stake. The credibility of the EU's involvement in peacekeeping missions is at stake if we cannot launch this mission as soon as possible. If our partners do not step up to the plate we have a fallback position, but I do not even want to contemplate that at the moment. I appeal to them again to step up.

The goal of the Progress Catalogue 2007 is the ability to deploy 90,000 troops within three months, sustainable for 12 months, by 2010, which is just two years away. If we cannot deploy 4,000 troops now, how will we achieve that goal? The first part of an operation always takes a certain period of time, but I hope this matter can be resolved because people are living in appalling circumstances. Women are being raped and worse, people are being murdered, there is famine, and the average life expectancy is 42 years. People who are trying to bring humanitarian aid to these unfortunate people cannot do so because of the activities of the rebel groups and bandits. These people are crying out for help. Every day that passes, their condition worsens and more people die. Every day people are brutalised. The sooner we get this mission in place, the better. We have done our part. Now it is up to others to do theirs and I appeal to them to do so. Once again I commend the motion to the House.

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