Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together.

On 21 December last I travelled to Lebanon to visit members of the Defence Forces serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL. The purpose of my visit was to demonstrate Government support for the UNIFIL mission and the Defence Forces serving overseas and also for me to gain a better understanding of the work they do. I was accompanied by the Minister of State with responsibility for defence, Deputy Paul Kehoe, and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett.

Ireland has contributed strongly to UNIFIL since the force’s establishment in 1978. Today it represents Ireland's largest overseas deployment, with some 380 members of the Defence Forces deployed. These women and men work alongside Finnish and Estonian troops and serve in a joint battalion. The current UNIFIL force commander is Major General Michael Beary of the Defence Forces. The visit provided an opportunity to see at first-hand the security challenges faced by UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. At mission headquarters Major General Beary briefed me on operations and I laid a wreath at the memorial to deceased UNIFIL troops. I toured the blue line between Lebanon and Israel and observed operations and capacity demonstrations, including with members of the Lebanese armed forces who are being trained by our armed forces. I had the opportunity to meet the Irish troops serving with the 111th Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Neil Nolan, most of whom come from the Cork area.. At the Tibnin monument to Irish troops who died while serving in Lebanon, I laid a wreath and met representatives of local communities in south Lebanon.

During my meetings with the Irish troops I thanked them on behalf of the Government and the people for their service, especially in being away from their families and friends at Christmas. I also emphasised Ireland’s strong commitment to the peacekeeping work of the United Nations and paid tribute to the contribution of the Defence Forces and the vital work they were doing, not only in southern Lebanon but in all missions with which our troops have served and continue to serve with distinction and courage.

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