Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

The Minister mentioned the Chad mission and the fact that the forces had to be withdrawn prematurely when the Government was committed to keeping them there. The Irish troops were certainly carrying out a very valuable and much needed role in that country. Is there any indication as to conditions there since the withdrawal of the Irish forces? Has the situation improved, deteriorated or whatever? Is there a mechanism whereby we could find ourselves providing troops there again? Obviously the triple lock process must be invoked, but it seems to me to be an uncompleted mission and that the need for involvement by Irish troops remains. Is the Minister favourably disposed towards sending troops back there if the situation were to develop in that fashion?

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