Air Corps personnel have joined troops in Chad but no Irish helicopters will be sent overseas, the Irish Defence Forces has said.

The nine Air Corps personnel instead plan flights involving two aircraft chartered for use by the Defence Forces at a cost of €3m.

The two Russian choppers – hired from a British company – have been the subject of controversy after it emerg­ed they were not at first licensed to carry Irish troops.

However, the Defence Forces said there were no plans to send further Air Corps personnel or helicopters to assist on the EUFOR mission in Chad.

There has been criticism over the fact Irish helicopters were not taken to Chad, not least because of their use as an air taxi service for government ministers.

However, the Defence Forces said the criticism was "misguided". Commandant Gavin Young said: "It was never intended to send Air Corps aircraft to Chad. In a multinational force, different nations have committed various elements of the force to fulfil its needs (including aircraft, a field hospital, communications, ground troops, logistics, air support etc).