Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

It is, perhaps, overstating the case to say the troops were left cruelly exposed. Obviously, in a situation where the UN is taking over a EUFOR mission, there will be teething problems. There was a shortage of fuel which affected the entire country as well as the Irish mission. As a result there was some rationing of fuel in the Irish camp. It meant, for example, that routine patrols were restricted. That does not mean all routine patrolling stopped, just that it was restricted. However, the troops were always available for emergency work, such as medical evacuation and so forth. The reason they had to conserve fuel was that they had to concentrate it on the life support systems in the camp, for example, cooking, heating, lighting and so forth.

The problem has now, by and large, been resolved. The new contract with the United Nations should guarantee fuel for the duration of the mission. In addition to the United Nations contract, there is also a UN fuel farm adjacent to the Irish camp which can supply fuel. The UN retains the capacity to fly in fuel at any time. I cannot absolutely predict what will happen in the future but the advice I have received from the military authorities in the Department is that the situation is resolved for the foreseeable future.

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