The Labour Party's description of prospective Irish UN troops in Lebanon as bodyguards is highly offensive and demeaning, the Minister Defence Willie O'Dea said tonight.
Mr O'Dea attacked TD Joe Costello's comments after the Dail approved the deployment of 150 personnel to the war-ravaged country.
During the debate Labour defence spokesman Mr Costello said that the talents and experience of the troops could be utilised in a more meaningful way than mere "bodyguards for other troops".
The Irish contingent will provide protection to a Finnish reconstruction team of engineers as well carrying out other tasks.
But Mr O'Dea angrily rejected the comments as insulting to the honourable peacekeeping tradition of the Defence Forces.
He said: "I find Deputy Costello's description of the role of the Irish troops as highly offensive to the long and honourable tradition of the Defence Forces.
"It is a demeaning and insulting term to use and wholly inaccurate." Mr O'Dea claimed that Mr Costello hasn't sought any briefings on defence policy or overseas operations from the Defence Forces or the Defence Department since he was appointed defence spokesman.
The Minister added: "The Chief of Staff has assured me that there is a real job for the Defence Forces in supporting the post conflict situation in Lebanon, and it is against this background, and our overall support for the UN, that the current proposals have been developed."
Mr Costello called on Mr O'Dea to reconsider the role of the troops, during the Dail debate.
He added: "Surely minister there is a role for Irish troops that would allow their strengths, talents and experience to be employed more meaningfully than that as bodyguards for other troops.
"Surely there are humanitarian tasks to be performed, village reconstruction to be aided and overseen, displaced persons to be accommodated, communities to be assisted and communications networks to be maintained.
"You are concerned minister that incidents and misunderstanding have the potential to impact negatively on the peace keeping operation," he said.