Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise a number of issues. I welcome the report in the main. I commend the work over 40 years. UNIFIL, in particular, has been a testament to the work of the soldiers in the Defence Forces. They have set a standard and have earned much praise for the country because of their actions. It is opportune that Major General Michael Beary is heading the mission in UNIFIL although he has come under quite vicious attack from both the Israeli representatives and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations in recent times. His credibility has been slighted by those representatives. In December, what was being said of him was reported. We should use the opportunity to stand fully behind him and the soldiers who have acted under him in recent times and also the previous detachments from the Irish Defence Forces who have served in Lebanon with distinction and who have been under physical attack from the forces they were trying to keep apart and that are represented at the United Nations. They are the very same ones who are attacking or questioning the Major General's ability. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Ms Nikki Haley, said UNIFIL was giving terrorism a pass in the area and that Major General Beary was blind to Hezbollah's actions. Furthermore, she said he had an embarrassing lack of understanding of what is going on and seemed to be the only person in southern Lebanon who was blind to what Hezbollah was doing.

The Minister of State said he is visiting the UNIFIL mission next week. I hope he will be able to inform Major General Beary and the soldiers serving under him of the support of this committee and that, despite the attacks at such a high level, we are fully behind the work in the area. The actions of Irish soldiers and others in the UNIFIL mission have resulted in relative peace in the area. As I stated, their work has stood up for us internationally.

I have had and still have doubts about the mission in Mali because of the activity of the Malian army in the past and its still-questionable activities.

With regard to the mission in Western Sahara, it is good that the Irish are participating. It is a pity it is not matched by the European Union's actions. We need to see the referendum on independence in Western Sahara. That is what the mission is meant to encourage but it has not happened to date.

The Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan is a NATO mission.

I do not think Irish troops should have any role to play in a mission that has any connection with NATO. Irish soldiers should not be involved in such missions.