The Army has denied its mission to Liberia has been compromised after plans to send a re-supply ship to Irish troops in the west African country were abandoned at short notice. It is understood the mission was aborted due to cost factors.
The LE Eithne was due to sail from the Haulbowline naval base in Cork at the weekend. However the crew were told they were being assigned on a four-week fisheries protection duty instead.
Fine Gael spokesman on defence, Mr Dinny McGinley TD, last night called on the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, to explain why the "mercy mission" had been cancelled at short notice.
A spokesman for the Minister said that while the voyage had been raised by senior defence forces personnel, the Minister had never received a formal proposal in writing and had played no role in the matter.
An Army spokesman said the LE Eithne was just one option open for the re-supply of troops, some 400 of whom are stationed in Liberia on a UN peace enforcement mission. He said some of the Irish deployment were due to return to Ireland for a period on leave in the next 10 days.
At least one charter flight would be used to fly them home. Because this flight will leave Ireland empty, it was decided to bring some of the supplies out by air. Family parcels would be taken on the plane with other supplies. "The suggestion this is a cancelled mercy mission is simply wrong," he said.
