Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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It is extremely regrettable that Ireland is being criticised for the first time by the United Nations in regard to a peacekeeping mission but, as Mary Fitzgerald highlighted in The Irish Times, this is the result of the Government's unilateral decision to end our participation in MINURCAT. Over the decades, Ireland has earned a positive reputation for its work in peacekeeping activities, from Congo to Lebanon and elsewhere. This week, in one ill-thought out move, the Government has undermined that reputation, the entire MINURCAT mission, the security of the refugee camps and the negotiations between the UN and the President of Chad, Idriss Déby.

I accept the practical issues that arise if MINURCAT ends in May, including in particular the need to withdraw the Defence Forces before the onset of the rainy season. The issue is not whether MINURCAT is needed in Chad. The UN humanitarian chief, John Holmes, has stated that he fears the consequences if the force is withdrawn. Human Rights Watch has also expressed fears of what might happen in the event of a withdrawal. The issue is whether the mission can remain. The President of Chad president wants the mission to end but human rights and refugee organisations want it to continue.

It was an ill-timed move on the part of the Government to announce during the negotiations that we were withdrawing. As the second largest component in the mission, we are a key force within MlNURCAT. Announcing our intention to withdraw risked leaving Déby with the impression that the outcome of the negotiations was already decided. In her article, Mary Fitzgerald pointed out that the move could have a negative impact on continuing talks with Chadian authorities over the future of the force. We should not be creating this impression. I cannot stress enough my admiration for the work of our forces in MINURCAT. They have been crucial to the success of the mission, which was one of the most dangerous ever undertaken. For the Government to end the mission in such a way is unacceptable and unforgivable.

I urge the Government to make immediate contact with the under-secretary general of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Alain Le Roy, to assess how we can help the UN in its negotiations and undo the damage done by the Government's decision. The feedback I am getting clearly indicates that work remains to be done in Chad. The Government must be mindful of the fate of the refugees left behind after a mass withdrawal of troops. Multinational missions are all about teamwork. It is wrong to undermine unilaterally a team in the way this Government has undermined MINURCAT. I regret deeply the untold damage that has been done to that mission. We owe it to our soldiers, to MINURCAT and, most of all, to the people our soldiers protect in Chad, to undo the mistake and work with the UN rather than undermine it while negotiations continue on whether to extend the mission.

I ask for clarification on the Government's current position on the matter. Yesterday, the Minister for Defence relayed what was obviously a Cabinet decision but I would have been more critical of his announcement had I known then that UN officials were in negotiations with the Chadian Government on continuing the mandate. I urge the Minister and the Taoiseach to review this decision in light of the possible extension of MINURCAT's mandate. If the Irish camp is dismantled and the equipment withdrawn, the mission may be unable to continue. This matter needs to be taken seriously and the Government must act immediately.

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The decision of the Government to withdraw the Defence Forces contingent from Chad was only made following detailed consideration, a strong recommendation from the Defence Forces acting Chief of Staff and following full and frank engagement with the UN at the highest levels over several months. In the past week, the Minister for Defence also spoke twice and at length with under secretary general Le Roy in the UN Department of Peacekeeping. At no stage did the under secretary suggest that the timing was sensitive in terms of ongoing discussions or ask the Minister to withhold publicly announcing the decision. If anything, he indicated that he understood Ireland's predicament and the difficult position we faced.

MINURCAT, the United Nations mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, was established under the authority of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1861(2009) of 14 January 2009, to replace the EU-led EUFOR TCHAD-RCA mission in Chad and the Central African Republic with which in excess of 400 Irish Defence Forces personnel had been serving since May 2008. Ireland has participated in MINURCAT since the transfer of the EU-led force to the authority of the UN on 15 March 2009. On 9 March 2010, the Government approved continued participation by the Defence Forces in MINURCAT for a further period beyond 14 March 2010 subject to renewal of UN authority for the mission beyond 15 March 2010 and subject to any further decisions which the Government may take in respect of continued participation in the force.

It had been the Government's intention to maintain the Defence Forces commitment to the mission until March 2012 subject to ongoing renewal of the UN mandate. However, on 12 March 2010 the Security Council extended the mandate of MINURCAT only until 15 May 2010 to allow for ongoing discussions on the mission's future with the Chadian Government. The Chadian Government has publicly sought the withdrawal of the UN military element of MINURCAT since January. The UN continues to meet with Chadian officials to discuss the future of the mission. However, unfortunately it is not yet in a position to clarify the situation. Therefore, significant uncertainty remains as to the extension of the UN mandate post 15 May, the number of troops that might be retained, the sectors to which they may be deployed and the nature of the mandate. Under national and international law Ireland cannot remain in Chad without a UN mandate. As a result of the uncertainty of the situation, the imminent onset of the rainy season and on advice from the military authorities, the Minister had no choice but to bring a memorandum to Government seeking approval to initiate a managed draw-down of our forces.

The Minister has stated on several occasions in the past week that our absolute preference is to remain in Chad and to continue to contribute to the creation of a safe and secure environment there. Since January, when President Déby announced that he wished to see the UN military element of the mission withdraw from Chad, staff in Ireland's mission to the UN have met UN officials and have outlined in clear and unambiguous terms the impact the rainy season will have regarding the withdrawal of Irish troops if there is no substantive renewal of the mandate before the end of March. Unfortunately, the MINURCAT mandate was extended until only 15 May 2010. Since we do not have the assurance regarding the renewal of the mandate post 15 May, nor does it seem an immediate prospect, the Government had to make the decision. I assure the Deputy this was not a decision we took lightly. Unless there is an immediate start to the drawing down of our forces, the onset of the rainy season could leave the Defence Forces personnel and equipment stranded in Chad without the benefit of a legal mandate contrary to national and international law.

In the past week, the Minister has personally spoken twice to Under Secretary General Le Roy regarding the situation and the future of the mission. The Minister informed Under Secretary General Le Roy that Ireland's clear preference would be to stay in the mission but he required assurances in respect of the future of the mission. Under Secretary General Le Roy fully understood Ireland's position as set out. Nevertheless, when the Minister spoke to him on Monday he was unable to give any clear assurances on the future of the mission. In addition, in the Minister's discussions with Under Secretary Le Roy the issue of the sensitivity of the timing of Ireland's withdrawal from the mission was never raised. Also, in a subsequent meeting with our UN ambassador the Under Secretary General stated there would likely be no final decision by the UN until May, in the knowledge that this would be too late for us to get out.

The Minister is aware that Human Rights Watch has written to the United Nations Security Council seeking an extension of the mandate for the MINURCAT mission and has outlined its concern that withdrawing the peacekeepers from this mission would expose civilians to increased violence and human rights abuses. The reality is that the Chadian government publicly stated it has no wish for the military component of the mission to be extended. Also, the Chadian Government is of the view that the Chadian police could provide security for internally displaced persons and refugees in eastern Chad.

The MINURCAT mission is crucial to the overall effort to bring stability to the region. To date, the mission has had a positive effect in creating a safe and secure environment for refugees, displaced persons and the wider population. In this regard, Irish Defence Forces personnel have played a major role. However, the decision to withdraw our troops from Chad was not of our making. The safety and security of Defence Forces personnel serving in Chad is paramount. In the absence of an extension of the mandate to the end of December 2010, the Defence Forces could be left in a situation where they would be unable to extract themselves from the mission when the current mandate expires in May 2010. The Minister cannot risk having our troops and equipment stranded in Chad with no mandate until the end of the rainy season. The Minister and his officials will continue to monitor developments at the UN Security Council on the mission's future. The Minister has asked Under Secretary General Le Roy to revert to him urgently if there is any significant change regarding the future of the mission.