Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am injury time as well as I have to head to Donegal. Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised the anniversaries of 40 years in UNIFIL and 60 years in the UN. He praised the standard we have set and the great ability of Major General Mick Beary. I will of course pass on his comments.

UN Under-Secretary General Lacroix visited the UNIFIL mission only last week and fully praised the work of Major General Mick Beary and acknowledged the professional work he was carrying out. The Deputies mentioned a number of other missions and I will pass on their good comments. Deputies Lisa Chambers and Seán Barrett are experts.

The UN peacekeeping college will be very much part and parcel of the celebration of 60 years of peacekeeping, 40 with UNIFIL which we should celebrate. Deputy Lisa Chambers outlined a number of ideas in that regard. I have set up a civil military group comprising representatives of the Department and An Garda Síochána because Garda members also participated in peacekeeping missions during the years alongside members of the Defence Forces. There will be an appropriate ceremony which will involve as many people as possible. The Deputy could have stolen my march on events at schools. I have asked for reviews of peacekeeping missions to be carried out outside the walls of barracks in a public space, not inside them, to which we can then invite as many members of the public as possible. Since my appointment, I have insisted on bringing along as many primary and secondary school pupils as possible. I hope we can involve schools in some way in the anniversary celebrations. It is important to do so, as it would be an opportune time to promote the Defence Forces.

I will pass on the committee's good wishes, as requested by Deputy Tony McLoughlin. An invitation was issued to members to visit the UNIFIL mission.