UN ‘must sanction’ new EU rapid army

IRISH troops will not get involved in the new EU rapid Battlegroups unless the mission is sanctioned by the United Nations, Defence Minister Willie O’Dea insisted yesterday.

The highly mobile US marine-type Battlegroups will start operations next year and be able to put 1,500 troops into a trouble spot within 10 days.

They will be six times faster than the current EU Rapid Reaction Force (RRF), which takes 60 days to put 60,000 troops into action.