The Minister for Defence has said he is confident the State will be able to "respond positively" to the UN secretary general's request to continue participation in the peace-keeping mission in Liberia.
Willie O'Dea was speaking during a visit to Stephens Barracks, Co Kilkenny today, where he reviewed the 95 thInfantry Battalion, due to leave on peace-keeping duty with the UNMIL mission.
Mr O'Dea said he had visited Liberia earlier this year, where he met the group's predecessors in the 94 thInfantry Battalion.
"During the course of my visit, I met with the newly elected President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Alan Doss. During my meeting with President Johnson-Sirleaf, the President expressed her gratitude to the Irish Government for the Defence Forces contribution to peace in Liberia and the vital role played by them in maintaining the peace, which she stated has been exceptional," Mr O'Dea said.
"She said that while the UN had brought peace to Liberia, the danger of violence has not gone away. She also repeated her hope that Ireland would continue its strong support for Liberia to ensure stability and encourage economic growth."
Mr O'Dea said the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan wrote to the Taoiseach and the Government, in early March, requesting that Ireland consider postponing the withdrawal of its troops from UNMIL for a period of at least six months.
"This was in order to give the UN time to find a suitable replacement for the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) capability. The request from the UN Secretary General has received the most serious consideration over the past two months. We have had some productive discussions with our colleagues in the United Nations and I feel confident that we will be able to respond positively to the Secretary General's request for a further six months. Ireland remains committed to Peace Support Operations in Africa under a UN flag," Mr O'Dea said.