Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am saying that I do not agree with the Deputy’s full assessment of it. There have been and continue to be huge challenges in Afghanistan. Ireland’s view has always been that we would make a limited contribution to sharing an expertise that we have from a training perspective. Our people are in headquarters there, and are not involved on the front line. It is not akin to joining a civil war.

If we make decisions in the future it will be on the back of a request and a consideration of that request as to whether Ireland can contribute to stability and peace-building in Afghanistan following a very difficult, traumatic and tragic war there, about which I fully agree with the views expressed by the Deputy. That will be the consideration. We are not considering front-line troops. We are considering potentially making a contribution to building capacity within the Afghani security forces so that they can run their country.

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