Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join the Minister in paying tribute to Brigadiers Aherne and Beary for their work on this important mission. Am I right in saying the Minister has decided our forces will withdraw from this mission soon? I was surprised to hear that, given the value of the work and that there is still a desperate need in Somalia for the stabilisation work and training of the armed forces in which our forces have been involved. Why did the Minister decide to disengage from the initiative? I know there were some safety concerns, but I am conscious that we are still present in Afghanistan, where there are many challenges. The Minister has a personal interest in Mali, and many others in the House are interested in it, where the situation is also quite challenging. Why disengage from Somalia?

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