Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

If that is possible. The then Minister informed the House at the previous Question Time that the numbers would be reduced as a result of cutbacks. A total of personnel serving overseas would be reduced from 750 to 480, which includes the numbers in Chad which is 406. This means that if the mission is withdrawn from Chad, there will only be 74 personnel serving abroad, a completely inadequate number. This number will not satisfy the challenges which the Defence Forces must face in order to remain as a vibrant force. I ask the Minister of State to consider restoring the numbers in Kosovo, for example, to 216. As regards new missions with the United Nations, it is quite clear that we could not enter into any new missions unless the triple lock mechanism is satisfied and those missions were mandated by the United Nations as peacekeeping missions.

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