The deployment of Irish Army rangers to Chad has been delayed for at least another week because the airport in the capital, N'Djamena, remains closed.
Last Thursday, over 50 Army rangers and other specialist troops had to cancel their departure for Chad at the last moment as the security situation there worsened.
N'Djamena's airport was closed to EU personnel and it remains unavailable following several days of heavy fighting between rebels and Chadian government troops.
The Defence Forces had been hoping to get the rangers out to Chad tomorrow. But the Irish General in command of the operation, General Pat Nash, advised that the deployment should be deferred, again, until next week.
Minister O'Dea briefed Cabinet colleagues on the situation in Chad this morning.
This afternoon, he said provided that the situation continues to stabilise, the deployment of Irish troops could happen within eight to 10 days. But he said this is contingent upon the prevailing operational circumstances and the availability of the airport.
Mr O'Dea insisted that Ireland remains fully committed to the EU mission and to the urgent necessity to provide protection to the camps in Chad, which house 400,000 refugees from Darfur.
The eight Irish soldiers currently serving in Chad are safe and well. 350 additional members of the Defence Forces are due to start deploying towards the end of March.
The minister said the current activity by rebels is a matter for the Chadian authorities and does not fall within the remit of the UN mandated mission, which is focused on the protection of the refugees and internally displaced persons.
Thousands flee Chad
The announcement comes as aid officials say they are struggling to help tens of thousands of refugees from Chad who have crossed into Cameroon.
About 20,000 people have arrived in the town of Kousséri, just across the Chari River from the Chadian capital.
The Head of the United Nations Refugee Agency in Kuseri, Gilbert Lubaki, said action was under way to re-open a nearby camp which had been used in previous emergencies.
In another development, French Ambassador to the UN Jean-Maurice Ripert has welcomed the UN Security Council condemnation of recent rebel attacks in Chad.
Last night's unanimous UN Security Council statement also urged member states to extend support to the Chad government.
France, which is the former colonial power of the central African country, has over 1,400 troops there but says it will not attack the rebel forces.
The rebel action has delayed an EU peacekeeping mission to protect hundreds of thousands of refugees in eastern Chad and in Sudan's western Darfur region.
