Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

I travelled to Lebanon on 15 June 2014 as Taoiseach and at that time also as Minister for Defence. I was accompanied on the visit by the Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Paul Kehoe. The purpose of the trip was to meet Irish troops serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. During my visit I also met the Lebanese Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Tammam Salam. Items discussed at the meeting included Ireland's contribution to UNIFIL over nearly four decades, for which the prime minister expressed gratitude; the security, political and humanitarian position in Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory, and the burden this has placed on Lebanon; developments in Iraq; internal political developments in Lebanon; and the further strengthening of bilateral relations between Ireland and the Lebanon. I also announced an additional €2 million in support for Lebanon to address the humanitarian crisis arising from the presence of 1.4 million refugees from Syria. The prime minister expressed his deep appreciation for this and for Ireland's support for the humanitarian crisis to date.

I then travelled to the headquarters of the joint Finnish and Irish battalion in south Lebanon, where I met UNIFIL deputy force commander, Brigadier General Kumar, and the Finnish and Irish battalion chief of staff, Major Ollonqvist.

I received a briefing on the mission from Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Campion, Officer Commanding the 45th Irish Infantry Group. I then took the opportunity to spend some time with the women and men of the 45th Irish Infantry Group, who proudly wear the Irish uniform and the blue beret like so many others, past and present, in Lebanon and other locations around the world. It was a pleasure and an honour to meet them and convey the gratitude of the country for the work they and so many others are doing and have done over the years as part of our contribution to UN peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts around the globe. That afternoon I laid a wreath at the Irish UNIFIL memorial at Tibnin, south Lebanon, dedicated to the memories of the 47 Irish personnel who died in service with the United Nations in Lebanon. I returned to Ireland later that evening, Monday, 16 June.

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