Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

It is not that I do not want to be specific. I wish I could be but, as Deputy Deenihan will be aware, we are engaged in a very difficult Estimates process leading to the production of a budget on 9 December.

With regard to the viability of the mission in the absence of Irish troops, it is true that the authorised maximum number of personnel for MINURCAT is approximately 5,200. There are only approximately 2,600 in the field at present. I agree with the Deputy that the loss of 400 experienced Irish troops, who have been in the field from the beginning as part of the EUFOR mission, would be a major blow to the mission in Chad. I do not agree that the savings to the Defence Forces would be negated by the cost of bringing the troops home. That would be the position if the troops were still under the aegis of EUFOR but they are now under the aegis of the United Nations. The UN will have to meet the cost of bringing the Irish mission home from Chad.

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