Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 17 Oct 2024

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to outline the unprecedented levels of capital investment we are making at Haulbowline naval base in County Cork. Since the introduction of the infrastructure development plan, we have completed in excess of €12 million worth of projects at the naval base, including a refurbishment of the operations training building, an upgrade of accommodation block 8, a regeneration of Spencer jetty, an upgrade of the oil wharf and the installation of a fire detection and firefighting system.

At present, €38 million worth of projects are at various stages of the design, procurement and construction process at Haulbowline, including three accommodation projects that will in total provide another 118 beds for Naval Service personnel. The refurbishment of blocks 4 and 9 is now well advanced and both will be completed in 2025. In addition, the following projects will proceed to construction in 2025: a new gym at the old tank building, a refurbishment of the cadets’ mess, a refurbishment of the old communications building and the commencement of dredging works for the entire base. All told, this represents a committed €50 million in capital projects.

Building on this momentum, my Department has commenced a process of developing master plans for each military installation in the State, including the naval base. To this end, a tendering process will be launched in the coming days to engage consultants to develop a master plan for the Naval Service. This will capture all future planning and infrastructure, both land and marine-based projects, for the next 20 years, ensuring that developments necessary to achieve level of ambition 2 are in place. This approach represents a step change in how we develop our military infrastructure and is further proof of my commitment to ensuring our Defence Forces have the requisite assets required to complete the taskings the Government assigns to them.

I thank the Tánaiste. Anybody who has visited Haulbowline in the past 12 months will have seen the massive works that have been undertaken there recently. I recall the base when I was a councillor in the Cobh municipal district, and much of it began with the People's Park, with which Deputy Stanton will be familiar. That was the beginning of many of the works that have happened over recent years.

The investment is undoubted, is well deserved and has been well spent. Will the Tánaiste clarify what is happening with the development of a gym? I think one was mooted for the site and the former mess was to be converted into an office or training centre. What is the status of those two projects?

The new gym at the old tank building is progressing well and we are basically down to procurement timelines. Investment will not be an issue and the gym will happen. There are also, as I said, significant accommodation projects. The refurbishment of the block 9 office facility, for example, commenced in August of this year. Once refurbishment works have been completed on this proposed structure, block 9 will provide a mixed-unit office facility that will allow consolidation of the Naval Service, support command headquarters and staff in the naval headquarters into one building. That will deal with the shortage of office accommodation at the naval base and allow us to relocate personnel from temporary buildings and so forth.

The master plan will outline what we intend to do for the next 20 years, but anyone who visits Haulbowline today will see the extent of the work that is under way. The gyms are very important. I have been to other facilities where the gyms make a significant difference to morale, training, physical fitness and so on, and we want first-class gym facilities in all our installations.

As I said, all the developments are welcome, and I know they are appreciated by the personnel based in Haulbowline. On the residential side, I understand that the refurbishment of the current block the Tánaiste mentioned will include accommodation for 75 personnel and that there will be further development in another block to allow people to stay on site. There was a sad situation a number of years ago when people resorted to staying on the ships, but that is no longer happening, which is most welcome.

Will the Tánaiste clarify as a final word just when that second block is due to be completed? As I said, it will allow for another 70 to 75 personnel to stay on site.

A whole range of accommodation projects are under way. We have the refurbishment of block 4 in Haulbowline, with 74 beds at a cost of €500,000. I mentioned the refurbishment of the old communications building, creating 20 beds at a cost of €4.2 million and the refurbishment of the cadet mess building in Haulbowline, creating 24 beds at a cost of €3.7 million, and on it goes. We are refurbishing block 8 in Haulbowline where there will be 70 beds. The projects are all progressing fairly quickly. There are no delays or anything like that. This will transform the whole accommodation situation at Haulbowline. It already has but these projects will mean more accommodation will be available.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Recruitment and retention of Defence Forces personnel is a significant challenge, which I have acknowledged on a number of occasions. The Government will continue to work to ensure the Defence Forces remain an attractive option as a career choice for both existing and potential members. Considerable progress has been made to address potential barriers to recruitment and retention. A number of financial and non-financial retention initiatives are being implemented, including an increase in the mandatory retirement age to 62, an increase in the maximum recruitment age to 39, the doubling of the Naval Service patrol duty allowance after ten days at sea in a calendar year, extension of the Naval Service tax credit for a further five years, and the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the Permanent Defence Force. These measures have been taken in addition to significant progress on pay.

The provision of professional training and instruction in the Defence Forces is also essential in the context of recruitment and retention. Additional measures have being taken to streamline the recruitment process and further work is being progressed to provide the capacity within the organisation to accept greater numbers at induction. Initial indications, are positive, particularly in the context of the number of expressions of interest received to join the Defence Forces.

There is a critical role to be undertaken by Defence Forces instructors in converting applicants to cadets and recruits and in providing the necessary ongoing professional training of Defence Forces personnel. These instructors are instrumental in delivering a future-focused modern Defence Forces organisation. In recognition of the role of officer instructors, I am pleased to say that I have secured agreement, in principle, with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to incentivise qualified officers who upskill to meet modern training standards. Professionalised instructors will play a critical role in ensuring training is carried out in observance of the organisational culture aspired to. Instructors must possess advanced education, specialist expertise and substantial experience. The introduction of an appropriate payment will recognise both the important role undertaken by instructing officers and also acknowledge and reward this higher level of professionalisation that is now expected.

Many of the things the Tánaiste has mentioned are worth reiterating regarding the progress that is being made. He mentioned the extension of healthcare. That was a much welcomed provision. The Tánaiste has stated in the past that we need to adapt to new realities. He has described the situation globally as extremely challenging. As he has often stated in the House, we are competing in an environment of full employment. Trying to maintain or attract recruits in that environment is always going to be challenging. How many people have expressed an interest in joining the Defence Forces in the last 12 months? Will the Tánaiste clarify intake numbers versus the number who have actually expressed an interest? Where are we with that?

We addressed that in the previous question. Approximately 10,000 people indicated an interest. Many of them did not follow through but still. This is an ongoing issue for me when I discuss these issues with the Defence Forces and military leadership. I gave figures in answer to the previous question. I believe 494 personnel have been inducted so far this year and approximately 250 more will be inducted by the end of the year. That is why the issue of the instructor incentivisation is important. I want to check the figures but I think those are the figures I gave earlier in respect of that.

Just to return to the figures, as of 30 September, 494 personnel had been inducted in 2024 and the latest advice is that it is planned to have a further 250 inducted this year. That is nearly 750 personnel, which would be the highest number of inductions for some time. That indicates we are beginning to turn the corner in respect of the issue of recruitment and retention and the gap between net loss on an ongoing basis. We might arrest that this year which would be a significant turning point.

On the second issue, we have made significant progress in the implementation of many of the recommendations of the independent review group, particularly in respect of empowerment of women within our Defence Forces. I will come back to the Deputy with a detailed list setting out progress we have made on that front.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 29 and 31 together.

I reiterate that the safety and security of Ireland’s Defence Forces personnel stationed in Lebanon remain of paramount concern to me and the Government. I pay tribute to all our Defence Force personnel in Lebanon for their exceptional work, professionalism and resilience. I am also conscious of their families here at home who are very anxious and concerned at the situation in Lebanon, which is very understandable. The House can be reassured that I have made, and will continue to make, the Government's concern on IDF activity in Lebanon clear, both bilaterally to Israel and to UN headquarters, as well as via the European Union and other channels.

IDF actions over the last number of weeks towards UNIFIL peacekeepers have caused deep concern and outrage to me and the Government and I have been very clear that it is reprehensible and unacceptable to injure peacekeepers and put them in harm's way. The Government condemns these incidents in the strongest possible terms. I have been in direct contact with the United Nations on this issue. I have spoken directly with the UN Under-Secretary-General responsible for UN peacekeeping, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on a number of occasions. During the calls, I took the opportunity to raise my serious concern about the deteriorating situation in southern Lebanon and to emphasise the Government’s expectation that UNIFIL’s role and mandate, and the safety of peacekeepers, should be fully respected by all parties.

Two specific diplomatic protests have been made to UN headquarters and Israel in the last ten days regarding an IDF presence - now departed - beside an Irish UNIFIL outpost. Similar action will be taken at diplomatic level in the future in the event of further incidents of this nature. I have also reminded Israel of its obligation to protect peacekeepers. I have highlighted that the IDF’s actions are in breach of international humanitarian law and that there is a need for full accountability for any actions taken. On Monday, the Taoiseach spoke by phone with Israeli President Herzog to relay the Government’s serious concerns and emphasise its expectation that UNIFIL's role and mandate will be fully respected at all times. The deliberate firing at UNIFIL posts is an outrageous and totally unacceptable breach of international law. Yesterday, we had a meeting of all defence ministers of the 16 EU contributing countries.

All made it very clear that such attacks represent a violation of international humanitarian law. At the European Union Foreign Affairs Council earlier in the week, we issued a statement again condemning this action. Prior to that, over the last weekend, 34 UNIFIL contributing countries, including Ireland, issued a statement condemning the recent incidents and calling for Israel to respect UNIFIL’s mission and ensure the safety of peacekeepers. The Taoiseach has also spoken to the UN Secretary General, António Guterres.

In terms of the safety and security of personnel, I have been advised that all Irish personnel remain in place in UNIFIL positions and that all are accounted for and well. All Defence Forces personnel continue to comply with UN security precautions, including taking shelter in protected positions as and when required. I also wish to reassure the Deputy that ongoing risk assessments are carried out in the mission area and personal equipment and force assets are continually reviewed in order that Defence Forces personnel are appropriately equipped to fulfil their role and support their safety. Unfortunately, no mission is without danger but, based on the military advice I have received, I am satisfied that all appropriate security measures are in place to provide for the safety of all Defence Forces personnel serving with UNIFIL.

I too pay tribute to all members of the Defence Forces serving in Lebanon and their families at this extremely worrying time. It is important that all of the different European states affected come together and call out the actions but further action is needed because Israel is ignoring any words calling out what it has been doing. There were incidents in the 1980s where troops were actually kidnapped. We do not want to see any of our troops coming to harm. I am particularly worried about the troops in the outposts. I was informed that some troops returned to Ireland on scheduled leave recently. Were all of them able to return? Is the unit there at full strength? Is there pressure on those who remain in carrying out their duties? With regard to the rations going to the outposts rather than to Camp Shamrock, there is concern that the supply of fresh water and fresh food is not getting in. The dried variant is okay for a day or two but not on a long-term basis.

The Defence Forces have advised that there are sufficient supplies of both water and food in Camp Shamrock, as well as the availability of contingency food packs, and that further deliveries were made to Camp Shamrock over the last weekend. This is in addition to a contingency supply chain to allow all of UNIFIL to remain in place for up to 30 days. During the summer, in advance of all of this, the Defence Forces had shipped out supplies or secured them locally. This provides up to 30 days of contingency supply in the event of something like this happening, so that was good, proactive planning by our military leadership, particularly during the summer period.

In terms of the rotation of those on leave, UNIFIL has suspended all movements for the moment but that is constantly under review. We have fewer than 300 in theatre at the moment and I can get the Deputy the precise figure for those who are out of theatre, given that 20% would be on leave at different times.

Therefore, the unit could be under pressure and under-resourced, which would be a concern. I know supplies are going to Camp Shamrock but are they getting to the people in the outposts? That is the concern. We saw the footage of Israeli tanks surrounding the outposts, which was very scary. It is a question of ensuring they are safe and looked after. I presume that, as the Tánaiste said, there is constant monitoring of what is happening and plans in place to take action, if need be, to move them out of there. We just want to ensure they are safe.

From what I can see, Israel is not listening to anybody or anything. Some action needs to be taken against Israel to ensure it stops this genocide in Gaza and Lebanon and stops the breaches of international humanitarian law.

As I said, leave into and out of the mission area is currently restricted due to the security issues, which is understandable. Likewise, planning continues for the November rotation. UNP 6-52 is one of the outposts where we lead, and at UNP 6-50, which is manned by Polish soldiers, we also lead in terms of the Irish PolBatt scenario. That will be a matter for the force commander. They still have supplies for close to three weeks in the outpost. It is an issue that will have to be negotiated with regard to safe passage for further supplies to that outpost. That is something the force commander on the ground will engage in with others. We have to do it in a way that is safe and secure.

I ask the Tánaiste to comment on the situation regarding the Reserve Defence Force. In most other jurisdictions, reserve defence forces take a very prominent role and, in some instances, are far larger than the permanent defence forces, and they are used in a very proactive way by the jurisdictions they are located in. I am concerned about the future of the RDF here and I would like to know what the plans are.

There are currently three branches of the Reserve Defence Force, namely, the Army Reserve, the Naval Service Reserve and the First Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve comprises former members of the Permanent Defence Force and has no defined establishment. The Second Line Reserve, consisting of the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve, has an establishment of 4,069 personnel. As of 31 August 2024, the effective strength of the Second Line Reserve stood at 1,553, which is comprised of 1,456 Army Reserve personnel and 97 Naval Service Reserve personnel. On the same date, the strength of the First Line Reserve stood at 167 personnel. The RDF is organised on a regional basis in 28 individual locations throughout the State and units operate as sub-units of parent Permanent Defence Force units in accord with the single force concept model. A table containing the strength of the RDF by formation or service or both has been compiled and will be provided to the Deputy.

The future structure and strength of the RDF is a key focus of the Defence Forces office of Reserve affairs, which was established in line with a recommendation of the Commission on the Defence Forces report, along with the full-time appointment of a director in that office at the rank of colonel. I was anxious to drive that and to get it done.

In addition to the issue of general recruitment into the RDF, a priority for the office of Reserve affairs was the development of the RDF regeneration and development plan, which was published in July last. This plan contains 27 concrete actions, which will be led by the Defence Forces with the support of my officials, to drive forward recruitment and retention, resourcing, training and education, and integration and deployment, with the ultimate goal of developing a reserve force that can seamlessly train, operate and deploy on a voluntary basis with the Permanent Defence Force, both nationally and overseas.

It is very encouraging to report that, as of 31 July, a total of 201 members have been inducted in 2024, comprising 180 Army Reserve personnel and 21 Naval Service Reserve personnel. This is an increase of some 200% over the number inducted in 2023. In addition, the number of personnel undertaking training and training days completed has already surpassed the total for 2023.

I thank the Tánaiste for that comprehensive response. I hope the number will increase. I understand there was a time when the number in the RDF, formerly the FCA, was approximately 20,000. That was the situation when I was a member up to 1997, before I came in here and was told my services were no longer required. Will the Tánaiste comment on the situation regarding the tax-free gratuity, which played an important part in attracting and retaining members to the Reserve in the past? Will he also comment on what can be done to balance the careers of people working both in ordinary civilian careers and in service? People might want to go for annual training or even serve overseas but they need to have their jobs maintained in civvy-land while they are doing that.

Will the Tánaiste tell me how many members of the First Line Reserve are effective?

I believe the Deputy's time with the FCA stood him in good stead and prepared him well for his parliamentary and ministerial career, so that speaks volume about the importance of the RDF. In a serious vein, since I became Minister, I have been very determined to drive this on because it is not acceptable that we do not have adequacy and sufficiency in terms of the Reserve Defence Force. We have made good progress but we need to drive on. There were a lot of bureaucratic delays and stuff that was unnecessary. The office we have now created for the regeneration of the Reserve Defence Force will give impetus and capacity to drive this on. We will keep the weather vane on it.

The Deputy made a very good point about employment. The Department of Finance Circular 51/1979 relating to leave for attendance at training with the Reserve Defence Force outlines the provisions for leave arranged by civil servants who attend Reserve Defence Force training. We need to more work with employers to facilitate members of the Reserve Defence Force to carry out RDF activities because it is enhancing human capital for the entire nation and everybody benefits. I can give the Deputy details of that circular.

I agree with the Tánaiste about engagement with employers. As many employers would value the training I and others got in the Defence Forces in the past, I encourage the Tánaiste to go down that road and work on that.

The Tánaiste may not have the information with him today but could he let me know about the thinking about the tax-free gratuity that used to be paid? I think the Commission on the Defence Forces said it should be reinstated. A payment was made that was linked to the number of hours of training a person put in during the year. That was an incentive and support and helped to cut down on expenses incurred by members at the time. I understand that this is not being paid now but I could be wrong. Perhaps the Tánaiste could correct me or come back to me later. It is an important element that attracted and retained members in the RDF in the past. My final comment concerns the air force reserve. I understand that this will not happen until 2028. Why is there such a delay and can it be brought forward?

I will follow up on the gratuity issue. That has not come on to my radar and more is the pity, because we could have got it done but I will pursue that. Civil servants can be granted special leave with pay if they attend for the full period of the course of training. That could be seven days or three working days for a course of annual training lasting 14 days. They could be given special leave of seven working days.

At the launch in July, I met an interesting group of people who came from private industry and had important skill sets in technology, life sciences and communications. One could easily see the ready application of those skill sets to the benefit of our Defence Forces and the country, be they in aid to civilian power scenarios or any potential scenario. One member from the Reserve Defence Force was serving overseas. There is a need for cultural change in our society to encourage this type of activity and engagement.

The Commission on the Defence Forces recommended significant changes to the Defence Forces. Given the changed security situation in Europe with Ukraine having been invaded by Russia and Britain's exit from the EU, we need to review the number of facilities for Army personnel and their location. Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, is located in the north east and Finner Camp is in south-west Donegal but the central Border region has no Army installation and this needs to be revisited as a matter of urgency.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 25 together.

Deputy Smith has been very persistent with regard to the structure of our Defence Forces as it applies to the central Border region. He mentioned Cavan Barracks, Aiken Barracks and so forth. I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern fit-for-purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future.

The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the programme for Government and its report was published in February 2022. A significant body of work has been undertaken encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. The commission recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and defence provision in Ireland. It covers high-level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding.

We published a detailed implementation plan in November 2023, which built on the publication of the commission report itself in February 2022, together with the high-level action plan of July 2022 and the early actions update published in March 2023. There is an ambitious programme of work to move to Level of Ambition 2 by 2028 and the significant and fundamental change for the Defence Forces that will be delivered across the commission's recommendations approved by Government.

There are a number of Government-approved commission recommendations contained in the report that may affect the structure of the Defence Forces, including the recommendation that the structure of the Army be reviewed and in that context, the disposition of units across the Defence Forces may be considered. No decisions have yet been made on the future disposition or locations of Defence Forces formations, installations and personnel, even though it has been identified as an early action in the high-level action plan. I will be in discussions with my Department with a view to asking for a review of the central Border area. In the past number of years, it was felt that operational efficiencies were achieved in respect of the closure of barracks but the Deputy is raising important points that do merit consideration in terms of future Army force design.

I very much welcome the fact that the needs of the central Border region in the context of defence and security issues will be taken into consideration in the review of the structures and location of Army installations. Dún Uí Néill was the most modern military barracks in Europe and opened in 1990. Very regrettably, it was closed in 2012. It is situated in the central Border region and as we know, that region does not have an Army barracks. I have spoken to people with a lot of military knowledge and experience and I very much value their opinion on security matters. These people served at different rank levels in our Permanent Defence Force are strongly of the view that this is the opportune time to at least reopen Dún Uí Néill as a forward operating base. I am speaking of people who played a key role in defending our State against paramilitarism and violence over the years and the protection of our State during a very difficult and troubled era was very much predicated on our Defence Forces and other emergency services having detailed knowledge of the entire Border terrain.

I understand that the Deputy has done a lot of research on this and has spoken to a lot of military personnel. I will review this and ask my Department to factor in any potential use of barracks in Cavan in terms of future operational needs. I will bring what the Deputy said to me to the table and ask our officials to review the use of the barracks in the future in respect of military consultations the Deputy has had with former personnel.

That knowledge is not readily available without our Permanent Defence Force being based locally. At different times, that knowledge and the work of our Defence Forces played a critical role not just in day-to-day security matters but in our State's work in keeping our country free of animal diseases over the decades when there were outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and BSE that threatened our farming and food industries. We must never underestimate the importance of local knowledge and the advantage of decision-making by personnel at local level. Dún Uí Néill has accommodation for more than 200 personnel with appropriate equipment and a helicopter base

By and large, that Army installation is totally intact and in good order. It could be used, at least initially, as a forward-operating base.

The Tánaiste, and Deputies Durkan, Berry and Stanton and I have previously discussed in the House the link between recruitment and an Army presence in a town. We had a long Army tradition in my home town of Cavan, where generation after generation enlisted in the Permanent Defence Force and served our country well both at home and abroad. The Army presence is also critical in increasing our recruitment and retention.

In support of Deputy Smith, it might be fortuitous to look again at the overall structures relating to defence positions throughout the country, given the internationally changing emphasis on security and the challenges emerging on a regular basis. Might it now be fortuitous to look again and reconsider a possible renewal of defensive locations, strategically?

I thank both Deputies for their remarks. I accept what Deputy Smith said about the role of our military in protecting the State, especially against the shocking violence over the 30-year period from the late 1960s to the nineties. I read a book recently, written by Ronan McGreevy and Tommy Conlon, about the kidnapping of Don Tidey, when a private and a garda lost their lives. It illustrates the role of our Defence Forces at that time as an aid to the civilian power. Those were dark days.

The point on recruitment is very valid. It is clear that in the closure of some barracks throughout the country, we lost an element of a recruitment tradition. Many towns throughout the country had a particular military tradition, which resulted in a significant number of recruits into the Army and military. I see that when I do a review of those going to Lebanon and so on. You get the history of families whose fathers and grandfathers served in the Irish forces with great pride and a great sense of local commitment and connection with our military. Barracks did provide that connection. I will bear that in mind. Likewise with Deputy Durkan's points - that review is under way.

As we all know, the situation in the Middle East is desperate. It has to be of the utmost concern to all of us. We have witnessed horrific scenes in Gaza, Lebanon and elsewhere. Unfortunately, the Israel Defense Forces again breached the blue line, including the Irish-Polish battalion area of operations. The situation is obviously very tense. I know the Tánaiste continues to monitor the situation closely with our partners in the UN. It is very important, in reassuring us as a country, that there is reassurance for the families who have members serving our country in those UNIFIL operations. We must ensure that those families are kept up to date with all developments and that their family members will remain safe.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 23, 34, 39 and 40 together.

I reiterate my absolute gratitude and pay tribute to our Defence Forces personnel who are operating in Lebanon under very challenging, difficult and dangerous circumstances. I am particularly conscious of their families who are obviously very worried and anxious about what they are watching on the news and on social media, which can cause a lot of anxiety in respect of their loved ones. That is fully understood.

This is an additional group of questions again inquiring about the situation in Lebanon and asking about the safety of Irish troops participating in UNIFIL. It is evidence of the very valid concerns Members of this House hold about the situation in southern Lebanon and the challenges facing our peacekeepers currently serving there. I reiterate to Members that I welcome the inquiries and advise that every effort is being made to support all of the Defence Forces personnel who are serving in Lebanon during these very volatile times.

I have said this already in many forums but I do not think I can say it often enough: the safety and security of our personnel is the utmost priority both for me and for the Government. There is no doubt but that our troops are operating in a particularly challenging environment and there is a lot of unpredictability with regard to the actions of the parties to the conflict. However, I reassure the Deputies that robust force protection measures are in place to support the safety and security of all personnel, and these measures will be continually reviewed and enhanced to address any emerging threats. It is important to not forget that all our people are highly trained, well-equipped, professional, and have undergone rigorous preparation to effectively manage the challenges that come with peacekeeping in this volatile region.

The Government and I are deeply concerned about the surge of violence in Lebanon and the launch of Israeli ground incursions, especially in the vicinity of Irish positions. I have made these concerns clear both bilaterally to Israel and to UN headquarters at the highest levels in unequivocal terms. I have strongly condemned any IDF targeting and firing on UNIFIL positions. It is reprehensible and unacceptable to injure peacekeepers and to put them in harm's way. Israel has an obligation to protect peacekeepers and its actions are in breach of international humanitarian law. There needs to be full accountability for these actions.

I am very conscious of the well-being of troops who are in Lebanon and their families at home, as I said. They have all shown extraordinary resilience in a difficult situation. For concerned family members of personnel, I fully recognise that it is a difficult and challenging time for them and that they also require our support. In that regard, arrangements are in place that a family liaison officer is communicating regularly with families, as is the Defence Forces press office through various media. Additional liaison and contact has been made at my request with families of personnel over the past two weeks to reassure them, and this has been carried out. Support is also available for families of personnel through the Defence Forces personnel support service and through unit liaison officers, who can be contacted through their local barracks. There have been some issues with Wi-Fi, which for understandable reasons civilian contractors have not been able to remedy. Official military lines of communication are operating normally, as are phone landlines.

I will continue to remain in regular contact with the UN and with the Chief of Staff with regard to the ongoing situation. My Department is also being regularly kept informed of all developments in those areas where Defence Forces personnel are deployed. However, I reiterate that the Government remains committed to our missions in the Middle East, including UNIFIL. We will continue to do that.

I welcome the Tánaiste's confirmation and reassurance with regard to liaison and contact with families, which is extremely important. I understand that the Tánaiste had a virtual meeting with his EU counterparts recently. Did they all agree that the attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers by the IDF we have seen in recent days are completely unacceptable and reprehensible? Was there full agreement that all parties, including Israel, must respect their obligations regarding the protection of peacekeepers and avoid any activities that put them in harm's way? Was there agreement to work together and demonstrate cohesion as a group?

It is absolutely necessary, and I have spoken with the Tánaiste on this previously, that communication is maintained with the families of our peacekeepers, who are doing absolutely necessary work. We have had huge worries. It is a disgrace, but it is just a continuity of disgraceful actions by the IDF in firing on UNIFIL positions. Will the Tánaiste give an update on his interactions with the UN as regards the mandate? A number of people have mentioned the difficulty that our Defence Forces and others have in maintaining the mandate on the basis that a huge number of local people who are in that vicinity have fled due to fear of the IDF. It is vitally important we make sure that we secure those who are doing this vital work, especially on the basis that we know what happened with Private Seán Rooney. That particular issue with the coroner needs to be followed up on.

I appreciate what has been said. At the virtual meeting of 16 EU defence ministers, there was unanimity in condemning the violation of international humanitarian law by the IDF in firing on peacekeepers. At the Foreign Affairs Council earlier in the week, it took 48 hours to get agreement on a statement because of one country objecting to some language, which we found very distressing and unacceptable. I made that point at the council, that there can be no equivocation or any caveats regarding any attacks or firing on UN positions, but the 16 contributing member states of the EU are at one in terms of ensuring that peacekeepers, and saying to the IDF and Hezbollah, that peacekeepers cannot come into harm's way.

I acknowledge what Deputy Ó Murchú has said in respect of the mandate. This mandate has been imperfect for quite some time. Hezbollah has fired 10,000 rockets into northern Israel, which resulted in its evacuation. In fact, when that mandate was reduced more than two years ago, hostility was created for peacekeepers in Hezbollah-controlled areas. Denial of access of movement began to happen. It was in one such circumstance that the killing of Private Seán Rooney occurred, who behaved very gallantly. He drove his colleagues out of harm's way and, unfortunately, he made the ultimate sacrifice in saving his colleagues. I acknowledge that and I am very conscious of it in the current context.