The head of the Irish Defence Forces says the peacekeeping mission to Chad is one of the most important ever undertaken by the State.

An advanced party of Irish Army Rangers is due to arrive in the capital of Chad this morning to take part in an EU peacekeeping mission in the east of the country.

The first group of Irish soldiers due to be deployed in the central African nation of Chad remain in barracks this morning after their mission was abruptly postponed last night.

A former soldier accused of murdering an infant today accepted in court that he had killed the child, 18-months old Oisin Reilly-Murphy.