Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)

I will return to some of the things that we discussed in the committee but I might first respond on the issue of UNIFIL and what this means in terms of the UN. I wish to say clearly that I regret very much the decisions that have been taken in relation to UNIFIL. A lot of work would have gone on behind the scenes to ensure there was not a cliff edge. This was important so that the least worst outcome was avoided but it is still a bad outcome. It is a bad outcome for the regions and a bad outcome for the Irish Defence Forces. However, while it has not been said explicitly, the implication is sometimes carried by Government statements that there is a higher bar for Irish participation in UN peacekeeping missions, or something like that. Obviously that is not the case. There is no UNIFIL after the end of 2027. It ceases to exist. It is not the case that there is a higher bar for Irish participation in UN peacekeeping missions. The requirement that we have put as a sovereign State is that Irish troops participate in UN missions. It is not the case that there are UN missions, which have international respect and that standard of law, that Irish troops cannot participate in. The UNIFIL mission will end. There will no longer be a UN presence. If there is anything to follow, and I doubt there will be, it will happen outside a UN mandate.

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