Minister ‘should have checked troops’ exit paperwork’

The minister for defence and his officials are being asked why they did not check — while visiting the UN General Assembly last week — that the exit paperwork for 130 Irish troops currently stranded in the Middle East was properly completed.

Concerns have been raised that there also seemed to be a failure to do this when Paul Kehoe and his staff visited Irish UN troops serving in the region during St Patrick’s week.