John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to address this important issue and look forward to hearing from him on the measures the Government and the Department are taking to ensure optimum measures and every effort is made to ensure the safety and well-being of the Irish UN peacekeeping mission on the Golan Heights. I acknowledge the Minister of State's own personal interest in the matter. From speaking to members of the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, I know they are grateful to him for the interest he has taken at all times in their issues and concerns and attending their conferences. I wish to acknowledge this. This is an issue that is particularly poignant for me as my father, Paddy Whelan, served with the UN peacekeeping mission in the Congo in 1960, one of the first missions to be embarked on by Irish peacekeepers.

For some, it proved to be a tragic tour of duty. Those to whom I refer made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country and in the interests of peacekeeping. On the Sunday before last I had the privilege of attending a tenth anniversary memorial service organised by Irish United Nations Veterans Association, IUNVA, Post 27 in my home town of Portlaoise. The IUNVA is a very important organisation and I urge the Minister of State to ensure that the Minister for Defence and the Government assist and support it in its efforts. The IUNVA plays a vital role in maintaining links between Army comrades and colleagues and in providing support to them, in many ways, as they readjust to civilian life.

As Senator Mooney stated, we witnessed the joy of families as they welcomed their loved ones home from their tour of duty in Syria at Dublin Airport last night. It is always a great relief for families when soldiers return home safely. It is important to keep in mind the families that are left at home and offer any supports, guidance or counselling they or their returning loved ones require. Irish military personnel are being exposed to some barbaric deeds that are too horrific to countenance or even contemplate in the ravaged and war-torn part of the world in which they are obliged to serve. I read about some of the situations with which they have been confronted and I am of the view that no person should be obliged to deal with what I have seen described. Anyone would have difficulty trying to cope with our personnel have witnessed. The soldiers in question do not just need military support or equipment, they also require post-trauma and psychological counselling and access to medical services and assistance at all times. It cannot be easy to return to one's family and home having witnessed harrowing scenes while away on duty.

The Irish peacekeepers in the Golan Heights find themselves in a most invidious situation because they are surrounded by warring factions on virtually all sides and can be under threat or in danger at any time. Our soldiers have a proud reputation worldwide as a result of their service in the Congo, Cyprus, Lebanon, Kosovo, Eritrea and so many other far-flung lands. We should be grateful for that reputation and for the courage and commitment members of the Defence Forces bring with them when they wear the blue beret. I commend the Minister of State on his efforts in respect of this matter. I also acknowledge the efforts of the Minister, Deputy Coveney, in seeking assurances with regard to parameters and conditions within which Irish peacekeepers are operating. I reiterate that the support they receive should not stop when they return home. It is not just on the battlefield or when operating in dangerous terrain that they need support, they and their families require continuing support from us, the State and the Department of Defence at all times.