Irish troops likely to remain in Darfur - Defence Forces chief

DEFENCE FORCES Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley said he believes Irish troops will continue with the United Nations (UN) peace enforcement mission in Chad despite calls for Ireland’s involvement to end to save money.

The report on public expenditure cuts drawn up by the economist Colm McCarthy has suggested Irish troops be withdrawn from Chad next March, when our current commitment to the mission expires.

However, Mr Earley believes the Government will not withdraw the 400 Irish troops and will instead commit for a further period.

“When the former president Mary Robinson came back from a visit to Darfur-Chad her description of what she saw and heard made her quite emotional,” he said.

“I would say if you ask Irish people, then and now, where should the Defence Forces go it would be Chad-Darfur.” Mr Earley has been in talks with Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea and his officials on savings across the defence spend.

The suggestion to withdraw Irish troops from Chad has come despite the multinational mission already being chronically short of troops and despite expectations Irish soldiers would remain on for at least another one or two years.

Senior military sources have said the UN is paying for most of the costs of Ireland’s deployment to Chad. They have said the cost of transporting the Defence Forces’ equipment home would reach tens of millions meaning an early withdrawal to save money would be counterproductive.