Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I meant to ask this question as my first follow up. The Tánaiste mentioned that 116 Irish citizens have been evacuated. My understanding was that the original figure was around 200. Does the Tánaiste have a figure as to how many Irish citizens are in Sudan seeking evacuation? Will he give an update on the steps that are being taken and the timeframe for that? It is accepted that with missions such as this, there will always need to be a collaboration with EU and in some instances non-EU states. However, there is also a responsibility on us to be able to wash our own face in that respect. That is why I believe we need to carry out an appraisal and engage with our Defence Forces in regard to the type of equipment that is necessary in order to be able to play a proactive role in matters such as this so that we are not wholly dependent on other states to provide for the evacuation and safety of our citizens. Rather, we should be able to engage in a proactive manner in missions such as this when it is necessary.

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