Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In one instance, the mortar fire landed so close to the Irish base that it shook the ground and Irish troops thought they had been hit. Informed sources are saying that fighting in the area has always been a constant.

However, the scale of what happened last week was unprecedented. Much of the fighting has centred on Quneitra, less than 2 km from the Irish camp in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Informed security sources say that at no time were the Irish camp or UN personnel deliberately targeted. However, the fighting was so close to the Irish camp and so intense that many Irish military personnel are concerned at what they perceive as a lack of response from the Government. I am concerned that there has been no publicity about this and no official response. I am also concerned that there has not been more briefing on it and that it was not acknowledged, particularly in light of the scale of the offensive action that took place. A number of our troops in the area are clearly concerned about this matter. Why has the Minister of State not briefed the Dáil about this before now and why did he wait to be prompted? What measures are the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade taking in light of what we have learned? Has the Minister spoken to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney?

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