Irish troops will be withdrawn from Kosovo by October, Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea has said.
Speaking at the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women’s Rights, Mr O’Dea said key reductions in the defence budget included “the draw down” of the Defence Forces in Kosovo and Bosnia.
Labour Party TD Brian O’Shea asked the Minister about allegations of rape and domestic violence in refugee camps in Chad.
Mr O’Dea said the mission’s terms of reference did not include general policing and Irish troops had no mandate to seek out cases of rape.
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“All I can say is, if it is happening in their presence, they’ll stop it,” he said.