Minister Killeen Welcomes Home Troops From Chad

A major logistics operation has been underway since the decision was taken to withdraw the main body of Irish troops from the MINURCAT mission.

The majority of Irish owned assets are now centralised in the Chadian capital of N'Djamena, after being transported some 800km across the desert from the Irish base in Goz Beida.

The next phase of the operation will involve an air, road and rail move to get the Irish owned assets the 1500km from N'Djamena to the Cameroonian Capitol of Douala and then onwards to Dublin by ship, a further 9,000km.

Speaking at the Airport, Minister Killeen said "I am delighted to be here to welcome home our troops. I want to express my appreciation to all of the members of the Defence Forces who have served in Chad. I also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to their families and loved ones, many of whom are here today, for the unheralded role they play in Ireland’s contribution to peacekeeping missions abroad."

Minister Killeen continued "The operational and logistical challenges faced in Chad cannot be overstated, and the success of the mission was due in large part to the expertise of our logistics and support personnel. This was probably the most difficult mission ever undertaken by the Defence Forces and the manner in which it was deployed and operated is testament to the effectiveness of the modernisation process implemented by the Defence Forces over the past number of years. Participation in the MINURCAT mission has been a continuation of our honourable tradition of supporting the United Nations in the cause of peace and security."

In summing up, the Minister acknowledged the major role the Defence Forces have played, in contributing to the creation of a safe and secure environment in Chad for refugees and internally displaced persons. "I would like to again emphasise that the decision to withdraw the Irish contingent from the MINURCAT mission does not lessen Ireland’s commitment to the UN but was simply a decision forced on the Government for mainly logistical reasons arising from the delayed UN mandate." the Minister said.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor:
- For further information please contact Mark Dunphy of Dunphy Public Relations on 00353868534900 or media ( @ ) dunphypr dot com
- High-resolution images of Minister Killeen are available to download from www.dunphypr.com