Kieran Phelan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Tom Kitt, to the House and congratulate him on his re-election to the Dáil. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on Ireland's involvement in the EU military operation in Chad, our most expensive mission to date. The operation, requested by the UN, is being led by an Irishman, Major General Pat Nash, as operations commander of the EU force. His deployment and that of his entire support staff was ratified by the triple lock, whereby Irish Defence Forces planning an overseas mission must receive authorisation from three factions: the UN, the Government and the Dáil.

Chad has had an unstable history characterised by decades of civil war. It is governed by a regime which is democratic in name but in practice does not resemble in any way democracy as we understand it. The relationship between Chad, as a former French colony, and its one-time European rulers continues to be fraught, with France having somewhat of an ambiguous status both in Chad and elsewhere in north and central Africa. Its presence is often regarded as a kind of double-edged sword. It is condemned for continuing imperial interference and praised as a facilitator of sustained stability through financial investment and military support.

As we are already aware, Ireland is the second largest provider of troops on this mission, second only to the French, who will comprise almost half of the total force. The role of the Irish Army in Chad is multifaceted. One such facet, owing to the history outlined above, is to distract somewhat from the size of the French contingent, helping to create and enforce the vital perception of the mission as comprising troops from a host of European countries. Ireland's presence is of particular importance in this regard because of the similarities that exist between our history and that of Chad and because of our historic and widely renowned neutrality, which has served our reputation well on an international scale. As Major General Pat Nash commented, "Ireland is seen as an honest broker in international relations." Therefore, it is seen as a diplomatic asset on a mission of this nature.

While Chad has shaken off its colonial status, its tendency for conflict has not ceased. The multiple conflicts and ongoing clashes in the border areas of Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic have resulted in more than 180,000 internally displaced Chadians and 236,000 Sudanese refugees. This turbulent situation has been further compounded by the devastating effects resulting from natural disasters, which has prompted the UN and our former President, Mary Robinson, to request the support of a combined EU force to offer protection and security to the displaced and the refugees being accommodated in camps in the eastern part of the country and aid workers representing all corners of the world, including Ireland, who are working hard in the camps.

Chad is a remote and massive landlocked country 20 times the size of Ireland and the approximate combined size of France, Spain, and Germany. The main area of activity is in the eastern part of the country, similar in size to France. Infrastructure is sparse and the nearest port is 2,000 kilometres away, with few if any roads. The existing roads are dusty dirt roads over very rough terrain. As a result, all vital enabling elements, from people to helicopters and tents to tanks, must be flown in by air. This is a costly exercise, coupled with the fact that all equipment used will suffer massive degradation owing to the harshness of the environment. This fact was stressed by Colonel Brian O'Keeffe at the RACO conference this week. It will take approximately 40 plane loads of equipment to transport the required equipment to Chad, not to mention another 40 plane loads for the return. The troops themselves will only need two flights each way. The cost of transport will total between approximately €1 million and €4 million.

All told, costs are expected to reach a ballpark figure of €57 million to €60 million, the most expensive operation on which the Irish Defence Forces have ever been deployed. Unlike the usual blue hat operation, with which we are all familiar and where the substantial costs are met by the UN, in the case of an EU mission, albeit one mandated by the UN, the costs are met by the contributing member states.

As I mentioned already the Irish troops are travelling to Chad to protect civilians in danger, to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the free movement of humanitarian personnel. It goes without saying that the troops will meet with a hostile environment in every sense of the word. The Chief of Staff has advised that the threat level is of medium risk, with the main threat being posed by the rebel or bandit groups. I note there has been some media concern about the safety of the Irish troops while on Chadian soil. The French forces already based in Chad have assured us that they have had no engagement with any of these groups to date, and have added that the level of risk being posed is in no way different from any other conflict zone in Africa. The Irish troops, therefore, are more than capable and equipped to manage any threat to their safety and that of the vulnerable, whose protection is their primary reason for their presence in Chad. As Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Earley advised, his personnel are "in the business of taking risks". There is no such thing as a safe mission, these Irish soldiers are professionals who have trained long and hard, and were trained by experts in order that they are able and ready for such a mission.

The high level of cost and that level of danger must not be our main focus. We must recognise that while these factors are of massive importance, they are outweighed by the contribution the mission can make to peace and security in the region. The decision to participate on the mission is in keeping with Ireland's foreign policy and our commitment to the maintenance of international order and security through the efforts of and participation in peacekeeping activity, supporting the UN and the EU regardless of cost.

It is interesting to note that the bulk of the troops are expected to be deployed early next year, and their departure will mark the 50th Anniversary of Ireland's participation on UN missions, when personnel from the Irish Defence Forces form part of an observer group in the Lebanon, and I hope it continues for many years to come.

I wish the troops and the mission well in Chad and I have no doubt the mission will be very successful.