Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 6: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of Permanent Defence Force members that are selected for the Chad mission; the breakdown between mandatory and voluntary selection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18883/08]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Defence if the 270 men and women of the 97th infantry battalion who are due to go to Chad in two groups, one on 19 May and the other on 27 and 28 May 2008, will be departing on schedule; if preparations are going to plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20151/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that the Irish deployment in Chad is proceeding according to plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20202/08]

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Defence the arrangements that have been made to enable the families of Irish troops serving in Chad to send them parcels, particularly in the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20006/08]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Defence the arrangements that have been made for the supply of fresh food to the Irish troops in Chad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20004/08]

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Defence the number and frequency of resupply flights from Ireland to Chad expected each month; the number of passenger seats that each flight will have; the use that it is intended these seats will be put to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20008/08]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 44: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied with the level of back-up support being provided for Irish troops in Chad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19784/08]

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Defence if, in view of the statement by the Minister of State at the Department of Defence in the House on 10 April 2008 that he would check the position regarding subsidised leave flights home for those personnel serving in the force headquarters in Chad, who will serve there for six months and who will be entitled to avail of leave, he will clarify the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20007/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Defence if he is satisfied that adequate communications, supply and transport and other back-up facilities are available to Irish troops on the Chad mission and other similar missions at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20541/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 235: To ask the Minister for Defence the position in regard to the deployment of Irish troops to Chad; the strength, existing and anticipated; the degree to which adequate military hardware has been made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20544/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 8, 11, 16, 23, 40, 44, 50, 232 and 235 together.

Preparations for the deployment of the 97th Infantry Battalion to the UN mandated European Union military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic are being implemented in a series of carefully planned phases. To date preparations are on schedule. A total of 394 members of the Permanent Defence Force are serving with this mission at present. Included in this figure is the first chalk of 162 members of the 97th infantry battalion, who arrived in Chad on 19 May, the Army Ranger Wing and the advance party. The final deployment of a further 140 personnel, of whom eight will be deployed to the force headquarters in Abeche and 132 with the 97th infantry battalion, is scheduled to take place on 1 June. A number of the advance group, who were deployed to construct the camp and transport the equipment, will be repatriated in early June. Twenty-eight personnel were subject to mandatory selection for the mission to date. The total deployment with this mission, following the withdrawal of the advance party and the Army Ranger Wing, will amount to 425 personnel.

Irish personnel, operating from the port of Douala in Cameroon have organised the movement forward by road, rail and air of the Defence Forces equipment to the headquarters of the Irish battalion at Goz Beida in eastern Chad, a distance of approximately 2,700 km. Priority equipment and vehicles already have arrived in Goz Beida and the remaining equipment is en route at present.

Key enablers, in particular tactical and medevac helicopters and medical facilities, are in place thus allowing the mission to proceed. Having being satisfied that the capabilities required to support EUFOR's main force deployment had been established, Lieutenant General Nash, the EUFOR operation commander, declared the mission had achieved initial operational capability on 15 March 2008. This marked the start date for the 12-month duration of the operation as set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1778.

Camp construction in Goz Beida is progressing well. Tented structures and multi-functional vehicle service tents have been erected. Ablution units with shower facilities and toilet units also have been constructed and are operational. The water towers also have been erected. More tentage is expected to arrive in Goz Beida shortly, which will enable completion of camp construction. The fuel farm holds 280,000 litres at present.

The EUFOR mission has contracted Economat des Armées, EDA, which is a French company, for the provision of logistics support to all troop-contributing nations to the EUFOR mission. This will include the delivery of fresh rations, which will commence on 29 May 2008. Defence Forces logistics personnel will monitor the quality and level of this service to Irish personnel serving in Goz Beida.

The number of resupply flights that will be used in support of Irish troops on the EUFOR Chad mission will be determined by the immediate requirements of troops on the ground and, therefore, this will determine the frequency of flights. The load that is being carried, not the number of seats that are on the aircraft, will determine the type of aircraft that will be utilised. The primary function of the sustainment flights will be to deliver supplies and services to the battalion in theatre.

There are no plans at present to provide subsidised leave flights for any personnel on the mission. The Irish personnel serving at the force headquarters will serve a six-month tour of duty. They will be able to avail of leave, dependent on the force commander's instructions, during that tour of duty. However, all costs associated with ongoing leave will be borne by the individual.

Support flights are primarily to deliver supplies and services necessary for the day-to-day sustainment of our troops. However, the frequency of the support flights may allow for a limited parcel facility to be offered to the next of kin at Christmas 2008.

The theatre of operations for the Chad deployment poses serious logistical challenges due to the nature of the operation as well as the mission area and environment. Force protection will, as always, be a key consideration and the Defence Forces will have all the required military hardware to fulfil their role in the mission. The Defence Forces have deployed a full range of force protection assets, including 17 Mowag APCs and four close reconnaissance vehicles and indirect fire capabilities, that is, mortars. These will provide the necessary armoured protection, mobility, firepower and communications. The military authorities have indicated that while the level of risk is consistent with any operational deployment into a troubled African State, it is one which the Defence Forces have the capability to manage.

The Defence Forces have deployed a suite of secure, robust, state-of-the art tactical communications systems to the EUFOR mission. These systems have been deployed in appropriate quantities to support the effective conduct of operations. The Defence Forces communications and information services corps are providing satellite communications and high frequency radio, e-mail and telephone access to the Defence Forces' networked management and administration information systems. In addition, all personnel will be provided with the facilities to make telephone calls to family and friends and will have access to the Internet.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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When the replies to questions are lumped together in this fashion, a difficulty arises in that it becomes difficult to ask specific questions in return. I refer to Question No. 6, in reply to which the Minister provided the specific breakdown between mandatory and voluntary selection. Why did mandatory selection take place? Was it because there was an insufficient number of volunteers? On what basis were those personnel who were selected mandatorily recruited? How is the list formed? What is the selection process? In what order are personnel likely to be selected? Do selected personnel have an opportunity to opt in or out? If they have specific family circumstances are they simply obliged to go or do circumstances exist in which they would be excused?

It is important that people should know the system and how it operates. In addition, the system should be seen to be just, fair and transparent. I seek the Minister's response in this regard first as I wish to ask a number of other questions, as does Deputy Wall.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Of the 394 personnel who are there at present, a total of 28 have been mandatorily selected. The military authorities have their own procedure for mandatory selection. While I am not immediately familiar with it, I can get details of it for the Deputy. I am told the system has been in place literally since the foundation of the State. However, I understand that someone who is mandatorily selected but who wishes to be excused can make representations to the appropriate personnel within the military high command.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I refer to the issue of supports to the mission. Parcels at Christmas could be very good for the morale of the forces serving there. While the Minister mentioned there may be provision in this regard, I suggest that provision should be made for the transport of parcels. I am sure it would not overly inconvenience the Defence Forces were such parcels to be placed at local barracks from where they easily could be transported.

At present, I understand that those who are serving on the mission will receive only ten minutes of free telephone call time per month. In view of the importance of this highly challenging mission, in which temperatures will rise to 50° or 55° Celsius, every support possible must be given to the Irish military personnel in Chad. Will the Minister consider increasing the allowance to at least 20 minutes of free telephone time, which would be fair.

The former Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Tom Kitt, took some of the Minister's questions during Question Time in the House. I believe he will be a loss to this House given his profile. However, in response to a question, he promised me that he would check the position in respect of subsidised leave flights. Perhaps one of the Minister's officials has provided the Minister with a note on subsidised leave flights for personnel serving there.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Deenihan has asked three questions. As for parcels, the primary purpose of the resupply flights will be to supply appropriate provisions and equipment and other necessities for the troops. The military authorities have advised me that they may be able to make some provision for parcels at Christmas. I will certainly communicate Deputy Deenihan's sentiments to the military. I share his view that we should try to accommodate parcels from next of kin as much as possible.

Regarding subsidised leave flights, only one element of the deployment to Chad will be there for a full six month period. In Liberia and on other missions troops were deployed for a six month rotation period. Six months is quite a long time so they get leave to come home in the middle of the period, after around three months. As Chad is so far away and inaccessible, instead of a six month deployment there will only be a four month deployment and there will not be leave during that period. However, staff at the headquarters in Paris, which is not far away, and at the force headquarters in Abeche will be deployed for six months. Happily, there is an international airport at N'Djamena and those who are deployed for six months will be able to fly home from there.

There is a myth around subsidised flights. There was no direct air access to Liberia so people who wished to go home mid-term were taken on charter flights by the army. They had to pay for this service, although I do not know what the rate was. Only a small number of people are at issue in this regard. I am not overly concerned about those deployed in Paris, but we may be able to provide assistance to those deployed at the headquarters in Abeche. I will examine this matter, although I understand this has been the standard procedure for Irish troops abroad for some time. For example, when we had troops in the Lebanon, Eritrea and Ethiopia this system applied.

Regarding Deputy Deenihan's reference to an allowance of ten minutes per month of telephone calls, I was not aware this was the case and nobody brought it to my attention. I will look into this matter because an allowance of ten minutes per month strikes me as somewhat skimpy, if that is the case. I do not doubt what the Deputy has said. I would have thought a person from the representative association would have brought this to my attention by now. We will examine the matter.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Some weeks ago I availed of an invitation from the Commander in Chief to visit the Curragh with my colleagues, the Minister of State, Seán Power and Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl, to examine the logistical programme that was being put in place for this mission. Only being there and seeing the vast amount of work that went into organising this allowed one to realise what it is all about. Everyone involved should be congratulated as it is a wonderful achievement for the Defence Forces to partake in this mission. It was unbelievable to see the amount of work that went into organising and supporting it. I concur with the sentiments of the Minister and Deputy Deenihan on the family factor, telephone calls, Christmas and so on and that every effort should be made to alleviate the concerns of family members. I am sure the Minister will take in the points we have made in this regard.

The Irish Times of Monday, 14 April wrote of the medical teams that travel overseas and it stated that the Department of Defence had to recruit foreign doctors for overseas service. It stated that the results of this were mixed. Were foreign doctors recruited because there were not enough Irish doctors to travel with the group? If so, what kind of investigations into their backgrounds were made? If one is to believe what was written, it did not make good reading to see that one of the doctors had the mission concluded and another did not have the necessary qualifications. One would not wish to see such things happen on this mission.

How were interpreters that travel with the group recruited? What mechanism does the Department use to ensure they are au fait with the areas, the languages of different tribes and so on? A recent newspaper report relates an encounter between the Army Rangers and a rebel group and it was the interaction of the interpreters between these sides that made all the difference. According to this report it was the first time the group engaged in an oral interaction and they did so because the Irish troops were so agreeable in this case. How many interpreters are being used by our troops in Chad and how are they employed? Do interpreters and troops interact to develop confidence? This is of major significance in overcoming challenging situations like that related in the newspaper report.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I note Deputy Wall's remarks on the huge amount of organisation and effort that has gone into putting this mission together and I thank him for them. I will convey his sentiments to the Chief of Staff.

Regarding family concerns, access to families, parcels and so on, I have already undertaken, in reply to a number of questions from Deputy Deenihan, to do what I can to provide assistance. This is a challenging mission and I appreciate the worries of families. I have spoken to many of them and wish to do everything I can to make things as easy as possible for them.

Deputy Wall raised a valid point on the qualifications of medical personnel recruited recently. As was said in reply to an earlier question, we found it increasingly difficult to recruit doctors here and we will come back to this matter in a later question. We even found it increasingly difficult to recruit doctors in mainland Europe so we have been forced to look further afield. As far as I know six of the 22 doctors we currently employ are foreign nationals, though I think one has taken Irish citizenship. The Deputy is correct that until recently there were difficulties recruiting doctors. An individual was found to have forged qualifications. In another case a female doctor from Nigeria, who was perfectly qualified and, I am told, an excellent doctor, had a number of criminal convictions in other countries for tax evasion and other offences. We did not know about this and since those incidents the checking procedure has been considerably tightened.

The Army has its own way of choosing interpreters and I will get the Deputy the relevant details. I am informed that the military is very happy with the interpreters it has and this was illustrated last Sunday in the meeting the Deputy referred to where the two interpreters interacted very well.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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We are dealing with a number of questions. Regarding medical evacuations, I wish to emphasise again the importance of having a medevac helicopter in Goz Beida. The fact that Abeche is such a distance from the Irish sector will definitely make travelling times a problem. Will there be dedicated helicopters in Abeche for the Irish mission? If there was another demand on medevac helicopters in Abeche and a member of the Irish force was seriously injured in the Irish sector would that person have to wait for the arrival of a helicopter?

Another problem that was mentioned in the newspaper report to which I referred is that the atmospheric conditions create difficulties with helicopter travel from the point of view of fuelling arrangements. Apparently in certain conditions it takes more fuel to get from A to B because the helicopter's engines must work harder. It is important to clarify this in order to put people's fears to rest. I remind the Minister of his statement in the House that because this was a generously funded mission every support would be provided. The most important support, because of the conditions and because it would be impossible during the rainy season to travel overland by jeep or military ambulance, is helicopters, and the ready availability of helicopters is critical. I ask the Minister to respond to the question of providing a helicopter at the Irish headquarters at Goz Beida. Does he agree that it would be better if one were there?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I have already told Deputy Deenihan that the military is considering whether a helicopter should be placed permanently at Goz Beida. I will not try to second-guess the military as I am not a military expert, but I have been assured that if it is decided that it is necessary for the safety of Irish troops that a helicopter be located at Goz Beida, a helicopter will be located there.

With regard to Deputy Deenihan's specific question about Abeche, three helicopters are available there. They are not dedicated to any specific mission, but in that part of Chad there are French, Irish and Polish forces. Those three helicopters are generally available. I must point out, however, that there are three other helicopters available at N'Djamena, plus a fixed-wing aircraft. Negotiations between the EUFOR commanders and the Russians and Ukrainians are at an advanced stage with a view to providing further air back-up. Compared with other missions with which I am familiar, such as that in Liberia, the troops are much better served on this mission with regard to flying times and accessibility of medical facilities and air assets.