Irish troops may stay longer in Chad, Dáil told
Hundreds of Irish troops may have to remain in war-torn Chad after the March 2009 end-date of the €57m mission, the Defence Minister told the Dáil today.
A UN-led "blue helmet" force had been planned to replace the Eufor operation but Willie O’Dea today admitted this was “fairly ambitious”.
However Mr O’Dea said he would closely study the security situation in the troubled African country before any Government decision is made on continued deployment beyond March.
Around 400 Irish troops are currently patrolling refugee camps where aid is being distributed to 450,000 people forced to flee the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Speaking of the UN’s plans to replace the Eufor mission in March, Mr O’Dea said: “If they don’t meet that ambitious deadline, and I think it is fairly ambitious, no doubt the present operation will be continued in some shape or form and we will be asked to contribute to that.”
But he added: “That will be a decision to be taken by the Government. I will look at the military situation and talk to the Army. I will go to Chad again to review conditions on the ground.
“I will ultimately bring recommendations to the Government.”
The minister said the UN may also spearhead a hybrid force composed of troops drawn from the EU or the African Union.
Mr O’Dea has described the 12-month mission as one of the most challenging for the Defence Forces.
Last month Irish troops were forced to fire warning shots after they came under fire during a clash between Chad’s army and armed rebels in the Goz Beida area.
Mr O’Dea was asked by Opposition defence spokesman Jack Wall if the current economic downturn would affect the future budget for the Chad mission.
Labour’s Mr Wall, who has many Defence Forces members in his Kildare South constituency, asked: “With the total mission costs of €57m and with the present downturn in the economy, that will put pressure on the Department of Defence and how is that going to be dealt with?”
But Mr O’Dea said a major share of the €57m mission cost was incurred by transporting truckloads of equipment from Ireland to Chad, and not on the actual day-to-day deployment.
The minister and Defence Forces chief of staff Lt Gen Dermot Earley paid a three-day official visit to troops in Chad last month. A follow-up visit is planned for October.
The Defence Forces last week marked 50 years of international peacekeeping operations.
