Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Defence Forces mission in Chad. [24689/09]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Defence the cost to the State to date arising from participation by the Defence Forces in peacekeeping missions in Chad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24690/09]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of personnel repatriated from Chad on medical or compassionate grounds since the mission commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24691/09]

Chris Andrews (Dublin South East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will report on the recent outbreak of gastroenteritis among Irish troops serving as part of the UN mission in Chad; if the cause of the outbreak has been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24581/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos 47, 53, 60, and 68 together.

Defence Forces contingents were first deployed to Chad in February 2008 with the UN-mandated EU-led operation in the Republic of Chad and the Central African Republic, EUFOR Tchad/RCA. EUFOR's mandate expired on 15 March 2009 and the operation was replaced by the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT).

Approximately 400 Irish personnel deployed in Chad with EUFOR transferred to the authority of MINURCAT on 15 March 2009.

In his latest report, in April 2009, to the United Nations Security Council on the MINURCAT mission, the Secretary-General indicated that the build-up of the force will be phased, with a period of consolidation prior to the beginning of the rainy season in June 2009. The force was expected to reach its full troop strength of 5,200 by the end of 2009 but this has now been revised downwards to 4,700 by that date. As of 19 June 2009, the MINURCAT force strength is 2,456 troops. The pace of troop generation has been attributed to the brief period allowed between the United Nation's authorisation of the military component of MINURCAT and the deployment of military personnel.

Despite the initial challenges faced by MINURCAT, the mission is building on the solid foundation laid by EUFOR, which has helped prepare the way to build future successes and contribute to the long-term beneficial impact of a safe and secure environment. It is expected that the security situation at local level will continue to improve as the MINURCAT mission is fully deployed.

All costs associated with deployment of personnel and equipment to the EUFOR Tchad/RCA mission are borne by the troop contributing countries. All EU Member States, irrespective of participation, contributed to the common costs of the operation. The cost to the Defence Vote arising from the Defence Forces participation in this mission amounted to approximately €61m for the period October 2007 to April 2009.

Certain costs associated with the deployment of the Defence Forces to MINURCAT will be offset by reimbursements from the UN mainly in the form of Appropriations-in-Aid to the Exchequer. The amounts to be reimbursed are in the process of being finalised by my Department with the United Nations.

The incidence of repatriations of Irish personnel from Chad has not been significantly different to repatriations from other missions in which members of the Permanent Defence Force have served. Since the Defence Forces were first deployed to Chad in February 2008, 20 personnel have been repatriated on compassionate grounds and 13 on medical grounds. Of the 33 personnel repatriated, 6 individuals returned to duty in Chad.

In May 2009, as part of the routine troop rotation process, personnel of the 99th Infantry Battalion were moved in groups from the Irish Battalion HQ in Goz Beida in South Eastern Chad to a UN transit camp in the capital N'Djamena approx 1,000 kms away, whilst they awaited a scheduled charter flight back to Ireland on 22 May 2009 at the end of their tour of duty. Whilst there, twenty six (26) Irish personnel contracted gastroenteritis. They were provided with immediate medical assistance by an Irish Battalion Medical Team, who were also due to fly home. All personnel had recovered by 22 May 2009 and were repatriated, as scheduled, on the Irish Chartered Flight under the supervision of the returning Battalion Medical Team.

I understand that a full hygiene audit of the transit camp was undertaken immediately by the United Nations Medical Section and remedial action was affected. I might point out that, due to the challenging conditions pertaining in Chad, incidence of such gastric illnesses are not unexpected.