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Fri 11 Nov 2008Defence Forces head apologises to Minister
DEFENCE FORCES chief of staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley has apologised to the Minister for Defence, Willie O'Dea, for putting him in a "difficult position" after it was discovered two helicopters hired for €2.4 million in Chad to carry Irish troops were not certified to ferry personnel.
In a report on the matter for Mr O'Dea, Lieu Gen Earley cited "miscommunication in the military chain of command" and an "excess of zeal" to procure the helicopters as the reasons for the embarrassing mix-up.
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