Irish troops to New Orleans plan dismissed as 'ludicrous'

Proposals to send up to 30 Irish troops to help the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in the United States were dismissed as ludicrous today by a leading humanitarian worker.

John O’Shea, of the third world agency GOAL, criticised suggestions that Irish soldiers could be dispatched to the devastated Gulf Coast to provide thousands of ready meals, blankets, first aid and water purification kits, medical aid, crutches and wheelchairs to victims of the hurricane.