Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has an extraordinary view of the world. Anyone who watched what happened in Mali, particularly northern Mali, where barbaric atrocities were carried out on the local people, people were herded into stadiums with their arms chopped off and women were made to cover their heads, threatened and not allowed to engage in normal life, would recognise that there was a major problem in Mali. It is extraordinary that the Deputy should suggest that al-Qaeda was operating in Mali because it was encouraged by the United States to do so and that the European Union encouraged atrocities. The Deputy has a strange, conspiratorial view of what is happening in the world.

The reality is that there were substantial difficulties in Mali. The Malian armed forces lacked the capacity to deal with those difficulties and the Malian Government sought assistance. The United Nations, with which the Deputy appears to disagree, passed motions to provide for trainers to train the Malian forces, not only in dealing effectively with military matters but, by way of the comprehensive approach that is adopted, to ensure that training is provided in international humanitarian law and with regard to ensuring the protection of civilians and human rights. Ireland has an important role in this. We can contribute in a small way with a small number of troops, just as we have done with EUTM Somalia, where we helped to bring about a degree of protection to people in Somalia and Mogadishu by ensuring that Government has trained and appropriate forces available to it. The Government is giving active consideration to deploying a small number of troops on this training mission.

See this speech in context