Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 23, 34, 39 and 40 together.

I reiterate my absolute gratitude and pay tribute to our Defence Forces personnel who are operating in Lebanon under very challenging, difficult and dangerous circumstances. I am particularly conscious of their families who are obviously very worried and anxious about what they are watching on the news and on social media, which can cause a lot of anxiety in respect of their loved ones. That is fully understood.

This is an additional group of questions again inquiring about the situation in Lebanon and asking about the safety of Irish troops participating in UNIFIL. It is evidence of the very valid concerns Members of this House hold about the situation in southern Lebanon and the challenges facing our peacekeepers currently serving there. I reiterate to Members that I welcome the inquiries and advise that every effort is being made to support all of the Defence Forces personnel who are serving in Lebanon during these very volatile times.

I have said this already in many forums but I do not think I can say it often enough: the safety and security of our personnel is the utmost priority both for me and for the Government. There is no doubt but that our troops are operating in a particularly challenging environment and there is a lot of unpredictability with regard to the actions of the parties to the conflict. However, I reassure the Deputies that robust force protection measures are in place to support the safety and security of all personnel, and these measures will be continually reviewed and enhanced to address any emerging threats. It is important to not forget that all our people are highly trained, well-equipped, professional, and have undergone rigorous preparation to effectively manage the challenges that come with peacekeeping in this volatile region.

The Government and I are deeply concerned about the surge of violence in Lebanon and the launch of Israeli ground incursions, especially in the vicinity of Irish positions. I have made these concerns clear both bilaterally to Israel and to UN headquarters at the highest levels in unequivocal terms. I have strongly condemned any IDF targeting and firing on UNIFIL positions. It is reprehensible and unacceptable to injure peacekeepers and to put them in harm's way. Israel has an obligation to protect peacekeepers and its actions are in breach of international humanitarian law. There needs to be full accountability for these actions.

I am very conscious of the well-being of troops who are in Lebanon and their families at home, as I said. They have all shown extraordinary resilience in a difficult situation. For concerned family members of personnel, I fully recognise that it is a difficult and challenging time for them and that they also require our support. In that regard, arrangements are in place that a family liaison officer is communicating regularly with families, as is the Defence Forces press office through various media. Additional liaison and contact has been made at my request with families of personnel over the past two weeks to reassure them, and this has been carried out. Support is also available for families of personnel through the Defence Forces personnel support service and through unit liaison officers, who can be contacted through their local barracks. There have been some issues with Wi-Fi, which for understandable reasons civilian contractors have not been able to remedy. Official military lines of communication are operating normally, as are phone landlines.

I will continue to remain in regular contact with the UN and with the Chief of Staff with regard to the ongoing situation. My Department is also being regularly kept informed of all developments in those areas where Defence Forces personnel are deployed. However, I reiterate that the Government remains committed to our missions in the Middle East, including UNIFIL. We will continue to do that.

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