Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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24. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the support being provided to persons (details supplied) to assist them in being evacuated from Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39902/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I want to thank the Deputy for his question regarding the situation of Irish citizens in Lebanon. I also want to recognise the extremely challenging and distressing situation for all of those families in Ireland whose family members remain in Lebanon.

Throughout this crisis, my Department and our Embassy in Cairo has remained in regular contact with Irish citizens in Lebanon. We have worked closely with our EU and other partners to exchange information and coordinate our consular response to the situation in Lebanon.

As a result of this cooperation, two groups of Irish citizens were assisted to depart Lebanon on flights operated by partners last Friday, 04 October. The citizens departed on flights operated by Ireland’s international partners and they arrived in Ireland safely over the weekend. This included the family raised by the Deputy in her question.

This is an excellent example of the importance of international cooperation. I would like to record my thanks to the governments of The Netherlands and Canada, who organised today’s flights, as well as our consular response teams in Cairo, Dublin and across the Middle East who continue to support Irish citizens in the region.

Many Irish citizens in Lebanon are deeply rooted in the country, with family, work and other links. While we have been able to assist almost all Irish citizens who have expressed a wish to leave, understandably a number have decided to remain.

My Department will remain in close contact with all citizens still in Lebanon over the days and weeks ahead.