Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I too have had the privilege of visiting our troops serving overseas in the cause of peace, including in the Middle East. They are a source of immense pride for the country and always have been. One is always struck by the warmth with which they are received by host populations and the acceptance of their bona fides in making a contribution and their objectivity in peacekeeping and peace enforcement. The work of the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann in Lebanon and elsewhere is one of our most important contributions to the world.

Considering that I have raised this issue with the Taoiseach here on a number of occasions, he is fully aware of what I describe as the appalling treatment many of our soldiers and their families are receiving at the hands of the State. The simple fact is that many of them are living at little more than subsistence level. This has been well documented by the spouses of many working in the Army. Therefore, there is a significant divergence between the laudatory rhetoric in which the State engages and in which we engage when we celebrate the contribution of our troops overseas and the accounts of the quality of the conditions in which the troops work, the lack of investment and any significant paradigm shift in the recruitment and retention of those who work in the Defence Forces generally. I do not know whether this issue was raised with the Taoiseach in Lebanon in any shape or form or whether he made any attempt to address the legitimate concerns of the Army and Defence Forces personnel generally.

The security position in the region gives cause for real concern. The instability of Lebanon's government, the role of Hezbollah, the circumstances in Syria and the increasingly assertive policy of Mr. Netanyahu and his government all add up to being very combustible.

Has there been any communication between the Taoiseach and the US Government on the threatened cuts to the funding for UNRWA? Palestinians will be in a perilous state if the cuts proceed. The recognition of Jerusalem by the United States as the capital of Israel is posing immense challenges to all those genuinely interested in peace in the region.

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