Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Defence the complement of medical officers that will be sent on the mission to Chad; if the proportion of medics will be higher than on previous missions such as UNIFIL; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33111/07]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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On 20 November 2007, the Government authorised the despatch of a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force for service with the UN mandated EU operation in the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic, known as EUFOR TCHAD/RCA. Dáil Éireann approved the necessary enabling motion on 28 November 2007. Medical units deployed as part of Irish contingents on overseas missions are designed by the Director of the Army Medical Corps based on the requirements of the particular mission and having regard to the availability of services, which may be available from other troop contributing nations/partner nations. The proposed Defence Forces initial entry force, to be deployed to EUFOR TCHAD/RCA in early 2008, will include 1 Medical Officer and 2 Medical Orderlies. In addition, the Army Ranger Wing unit will include a number of qualified medical personnel to augment the medical capability.

The main Irish contingent, to be deployed to the mission area at a later stage, will comprise some 400 personnel. This contingent will include a Medical unit comprising 2 Medical Officers, 1 Dental Officer, 11 Medical Orderlies and 1 Dental Surgery Assistant. The proposed medical deployment outlined above is subject to change depending on the final assessment of the operational environment in which the troops will operate.

In the case of the deployment of the Defence Forces contingent to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in October 2006 as part of an integrated Finnish/Irish Battalion, the Irish contingent included 1 Medical Officer and 4 Medical Orderlies.