Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to take the details of the case Deputy Heneghan mentioned and to engage with him directly on it.

I thank Deputy Callaghan for her service in Óglaigh na hÉireann and for her tour of duty. I am glad to have her in my party, on our team and in the Dáil, bringing her experience of having served in Lebanon. Just by visiting, I got a an insight that is not even a fraction of what she would have experienced. That insight is very important when we have these discussions. The wish to be informed is why I wanted to go there last week. We see the devastation in that beautiful, scenic country, with its beautiful people, 4,000 of whom have been killed in the current phase of the conflict, including hundreds of children, with another 1,500 people injured. The Deputy is right that there is a real fragility to the situation. She is also right that what we have seen in recent days is a cause of huge concern.

Here in Ireland and at the European and UN levels, we must call for a de-escalation and full implementation of the ceasefire. We also must support the new Lebanese Government. That new Government has given great cause for hope. Very substantive figures have been appointed to senior posts. I met the ministers for foreign affairs and defence. There is a new President and a new Prime Minister. Finally, a Government is in place.

They need help as well. They have just agreed their new budget. That should hopefully show them a path of reform. It might open up channels with regard to IMF funding and the likes again, because we need to help the Government of Lebanon build up its public services and also build up the Lebanese Armed Forces, LAF. The primary purpose of UNIFIL being there is to support the LAF in protecting the peace, so we need to do everything we practically can to help this new government too.

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