Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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134. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the general scheme of a Bill to govern overseas deployments into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40667/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On 30 April last, Government approved the proposal to draft the General Scheme of a Bill to govern overseas deployments into the future. Work on drafting those proposals, including consultations with the Office of the Attorney General, Government Departments and key stakeholders, has progressed, and a draft General Scheme has been prepared.

It is Intended to revert to Government with the General Scheme, seeking approval to publish, in due course. Once approved by Government, the Scheme will be referred for pre-legislative scrutiny consideration by the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence to determine if pre-legislative scrutiny is required.

As this legislation advances, there will be ample opportunity for members of the Oireachtas to scrutinise and debate its contents within the Dáil and Seanad.

It is important to emphasise that any legislative proposals will remain fully consistent with the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Any modification to the Triple Lock will continue to require Government and Dáil approval for the dispatch of Defence Forces’ personnel to take part in peacekeeping and similar missions and will do nothing to change Ireland’s traditional position of military neutrality, which is characterised by Ireland's non-participation in any military alliance.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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135. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason there are 12 Merkava tanks parked outside the Irish UN post UNP 6-50/52 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40721/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Over the past number of days, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) increased their activity in South Lebanon and breached the Blue Line in several areas, including in the vicinity of the Irish Battalion UN Post 6-52. These activities have included incursions of equipment and personnel to which the Deputy refer. These are violations of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. As of 8th October, the Defence Forces have reported that the IDF activities, immediately adjacent to the Irish position at Post 6-52, have ceased and the IDF equipment and personnel have been removed from the area.

I can assure the Deputy that all Irish personnel are accounted for and are well. But as a consequence during the IDF presence, Irish personnel at UN Post 6-52 were given the instruction to shelter in place and remain in bunkers for periods. There remains constant communication between Camp Shamrock and the UN Post 6-52 Platoon Commander, and I have been informed by Military Management that morale is good, despite the circumstances over the last number of days.

In response to this incident, on a number of occasions over the last number of days, contact was made through diplomatic channels with the UN and also bi-laterally with the Israeli authorities, where it was clearly communicated that the Irish Government considered the recent IDF activities on the Blue Line and most particularly in the vicinity of UN Post 6-52 to be completely unacceptable in terms of the safety of peacekeepers in the execution of their mandated duties. UNIFIL also expressed its deep concern of recent activities by the IDF immediately adjacent to the UN Post 6-52, and the United Nations also engaged directly through diplomatic channels with Israel on the matter.

As regards any future reports of IDF presence at or near Irish Battalion UNIFIL positions, I will continue to raise the matter at the highest level as a matter of urgency with both the UN and with the Israeli authorities, and Government will make further diplomatic approaches as and when required. I, the Taoiseach, and Government consider any such activities to be completely unacceptable in terms of the safety of peacekeepers in the execution of their mandated duties.