Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the current situation facing Irish Defence Forces personnel deployed to Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL mission; and his response to the recent attacks against UNIFIL by Israel. [42031/24]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the ongoing attacks by the Israel Defence Forces on Lebanon; the safety and security of Irish personnel serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon; the discussions he has had with UN force commanders/officials on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42292/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I want to put on the record of this House the universal sentiment of the Irish people that we are incredibly and rightfully proud of the men and women of the Irish Defence Forces who are serving with distinction in Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. They are part of a long tradition of proud participation in UN peacekeeping missions by the Defence Forces. Will the Tánaiste give an update on the current situation facing our troops?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

I also take this opportunity to pay a very warm tribute to our soldiers in Lebanon for their professionalism, resilience and commitment to their peacekeeping role in Lebanon. Peacekeeping is the most noble work one can pursue and our soldiers are doing it in an exemplary manner. The safety and security of Ireland’s Defence Forces’ personnel stationed in Lebanon remain of paramount concern to myself and to the Government.

We have seen a significant escalation of violence across the country in recent weeks, including incursions across the blue line by the Israel Defence Forces, IDF, and reports of Israeli targeting and fire on United Nations positions causing harm to peacekeepers. These actions are a clear and unacceptable violation of resolution 1701.

This is causing both the Government and I to be deeply concerned about this evolving and fluid situation. It is reprehensible and unacceptable to injure peacekeepers and to put them in harm's way and I condemn these incidents in the strongest possible terms.

On a number of occasions over the past two weeks I have been in contact with the UN on this matter, and I spoke directly with the UN Under-Secretary General responsible for UN peacekeeping, Jean Pierre Lacroix. During the calls I took the opportunity to raise my serious concern about the deteriorating situation in southern Lebanon, and to emphasise the Government’s expectation that UNIFIL’s role and mandate and the safety of peacekeepers should be fully respected by all parties.

The Deputy will be aware of IDF activity close to one of the Irish outposts, UNP 6-52, over the past ten days. Two specific diplomatic protests were made by Ireland to the UN headquarters and to Israel in the days prior to the Israeli Defence Forces' departure from the post. Similar action will be taken at diplomatic level in the future in the event of further incidents of this nature. I have made, and will continue to make, the Government's concern on this clear both bilaterally to Israel and to United Nations headquarters. I have reminded Israel of its obligation to protect peacekeepers; and I have highlighted that its actions are in breach of international humanitarian law and that there is a need for full accountability for any actions taken.

There is no doubt that our troops are operating in a particularly challenging environment, but we should remember that all our people are highly trained, professional, and have undergone rigorous preparation to effectively handle the challenges that come with peacekeeping in this volatile region.

I remain in regular contact with the United Nations and with the Chief of Staff with regard to the ongoing situation. My Department is also regularly kept appraised of all developments in those areas where Defence Forces personnel are deployed. I have been advised that all Irish personnel remain in place in UNIFIL positions and these locations have been notified to the Israel Defence Forces, and that all personnel are accounted for and well.

Both I and the Government will continue to monitor the situation closely along with our partners in the UN and the wider international community. I assure the Deputies that Ireland remains committed to Lebanon and to UNIFIL, and that the Defence Forces remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting peace and stability in Lebanon and will remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding all troops, which is the key priority.

I wish to inform the House that yesterday morning we had an online meeting of the defence ministers of the 16 European Union contributing countries to UNIFIL to discuss the ongoing situation and the need to impress upon all actors in the region the absolute imperative of protecting peacekeepers and ensuring they are not put in harm's way.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Tánaiste's assurances on the safety of our Defence Forces. Another very drastic red line was crossed by Israel last Sunday when two Israeli tanks forcibly breached a United Nations base. Two hours, or a little more, later peacekeepers observed the firing of several rounds to the north and despite the wearing of protective masks, 15 peacekeepers suffered skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions after smoke entered their camp.

The day prior, UNIFIL peacekeepers were hit by gunfire with more troops injured in the days before that as the UN bases were surveilled and then assaulted by Israeli military forces. Israel has blocked UNIFIL logistical movements. These are very serious breaches and attacks on UN bases. Does Ireland intend to take any meaningful action against Israel for what is a very dangerous it has put our peacekeepers in?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is a very serious situation. It is incomprehensible that Israel or the IDF would put UN peacekeepers generally in harm's way and in some incidents, as the Deputy outlined, UN peacekeepers were injured as a result of such activity.

We will work in consort with the UN, with the force commander of UNIFIL in Lebanon.

We will co-ordinate our approach. I believe that the international community, through the United Nations and European Union, can collectively keep pressure on with a view to ensuring those red lines are not crossed into the future and that UNIFIL is allowed to continue to fulfil its mandate, which is a difficult and challenging mandate and has been for quite some time. Over the past 12 months, Hezbollah has been violating that mandate as well. More than 10,000 rockets have been fired from southern Lebanon into Israel with the result of up to 90,000 Israelis having to flee their homes. Likewise, in southern Lebanon, a similar number of Lebanese have had to flee their homes because of this conflict. We will do everything we possibly can in the context of UNIFIL and our peacekeepers and their safety to keep the pressure on to protect them.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Gabh mo leithscéal; I made a mistake, Tánaiste. Questions Nos. 1 and 2 were grouped. I did not hear that being said, and I did not check the screen. I am really sorry.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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I will ask a different variation of my question.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Unfortunately, we timed it because it was an important question. We are going to reduce the time back to one minute now. The Tánaiste got the extra time, but it was an important topic. If it is okay with Deputy Smith, we will come back to his question as a separate slot.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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That is fine.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I call Deputy Carthy.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Notwithstanding any appeals that have been made to the Israeli Government, it is fair to assume, although disappointing that it is the case, that Israel is unlikely to heed the calls of the international community because the evidence we have, not only over the past year but for much longer, is that Israel does not need any words, only significant sanctions. There is no indication that such sanctions will be deployed against that regime. With the prospect of further attacks or further situations whereby peacekeepers are forced to return and remain in base, have there been any mitigation proposals to ensure an increase in supplies at each base so that in the event UNIFIL troops are expected to remain in base for a prolonged period, they will be adequately supplied?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Defence Forces have advised that there are sufficient supplies of both water and food in Camp Shamrock as well as the availability of contingency food packs, and that further deliveries were made to Camp Shamrock over the last weekend. This is in addition to a contingency supply chain that is in place to allow all of UNIFIL to remain in place for up to 30 days. These contingency arrangements were enhanced during the summer period. Our Defence Forces took proactive action in the summer period in anticipation of potential issues arising to make sure there were sufficient supplies for 30 days. That said, the force commander will have to engage with all the actors in the region, including the Israel Defence Forces, IDF, with a view to logistics around resupply of the outposts. Even though there are sufficient supplies for the moment, that is an issue that will have to be addressed. In the first instance, the force commander will engage on that issue on the ground and, obviously, the two contributing countries will also be putting pressure on diplomatically in respect of that issue.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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I wish to discuss this issue further and put on record my and our deep appreciation for the valuable work Irish peacekeepers do as part of the UNIFIL force. In the Tánaiste's view, where do we go in terms of UN peacekeeping? It feels that we may be at a tipping point with this mission and the direct attacks from Israel, which may be geographically in the Middle East but culturally places itself with its allies in the West. With attacks on peacekeeping forces such as those mentioned, where are we going with UN peacekeeping in general?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There is a fundamental issue in terms of Israel's approach to the United Nations more generally. We might remember that UNIFIL is there as a result of the UN Security Council. In my view, Israel cannot continue to undermine UN agencies. We see what is happening in the Knesset in respect of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA, for example, which is a vital UN agency in bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza and Lebanon and across the Middle East. Without UNRWA, we could never contemplate the reconstruction of Gaza. All UN agencies and external agencies are absolutely clear on that, and other countries are as well. We had the description of the UN Secretary General as persona non grata by the Israeli Prime Minister. We have had these unacceptable attacks and, essentially, the crossing of a red line in respect of the firing on UN outposts in Naquora, which resulted in the injury of UN peacekeepers. Those are new departures in many respects. We have to uphold the primacy of the UN and the multilateral system. Israel has to be very conscious that the rest of world cannot tolerate an undermining of the rules-based international order because if that is allowed to happen here, it can happen elsewhere in terms of the primacy and importance of the United Nations.

We are, therefore, at a crucial tipping point in respect of the status of the UN and of peacekeepers and peacekeeping roles. This is a crucial moment. That is why all the troop-contributing countries are co-operating with a view to maintaining the mandate, imperfect as it is, but are also conscious that in the aftermath of this conflict, they may very well be called upon again to mediate and make sure we can keep and ensure the peace.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I am sticking to the time on this because we allowed extra time previously. The Deputy has a full minute.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. We have all been ranging from disappointment to being aghast in this country at the continued support for Israel, either militarily or politically, over the past year as its massively disproportionate response to the attacks on 7 October continues to bring death and destruction for the people of Gaza and now Lebanon. If the burning of people alive in the Al-Aqsa hospital and all the other atrocities were not going to kick the western allies of Israel into action, then maybe attacks on UN peacekeeping forces might do that. However, it seems Israel is operating without a leash and with no brakes on its atrocities. Ireland has a unique role to play, or a near-unique role, to push our western allies into cracking down hard on Israel, bring it into the multilateral system and, ultimately, stop the violence and genocide.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In respect of the mandate more generally, the international community has put pressure on Israel in respect of the attacks and the firing on UN outposts. That is having some impact, and that needs to have impact, although, again, the Deputy made some important and valid points. What is happening in northern Gaza is quite shocking and reprehensible in respect of the ordering of 400,000 people to leave their homes, and I will call that out myself. It is collective punishment of a people. It is not justified, and it is completely disproportionate and discriminate. This is language we use in the context of international humanitarian law. In respect of the peacekeepers, however, we are very clear that the IDF has contacts with UNIFIL. It knows where UNIFIL is and has all the co-ordinates. There is no excuse. There is no basis for any attacks or firing on UN positions. Likewise, Hezbollah is saying it is there to observe and will not put peacekeepers in harm's way. That would not have been the case maybe one year ago.