Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

A person who has a relation in Chad has informed me that it is the roughest and toughest area to which the Irish Army has been deployed. Every assistance should be given to the troops.

Six extra helicopters had to be hired, two by the Irish Army and four by the United Nations. Is this extra to what was envisaged in the first instance as being necessary? Did the French renege on their original promise to provide helicopters? The Minister mentioned four or five aircraft under different guises. Were they what the French had promised originally? If the three Polish helicopters are included, was the total number part of the first package? There was some doubt in the initial stages and the Minister did not at first agree to Army personnel going to Chad unless there was a proper air service. Are the six extra helicopters required because of what the Army has seen in its operations, or are they required because the French did not supply the necessary number as promised? Were the three Polish helicopters part of the original agreement the Minister obtained from the United Nations before the Defence Forces went to Chad?

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