Helen McEntee
Meath East · Fine Gael · Ireland
“There are no new missions, so there is only so much we can partake in. In regard to UN requests over the past ten years, in September 2019, we had 14 Defence Forces personnel deployed to a UN mission in Mali as part of a joint operation with the German armed forces.”
“I thank the Deputy for his continued engagement on this matter. It is appreciated and I reaffirm our shared commitment to truth and justice, not least for Private Rooney, but in particular for his family.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. I know he is committed to this issue; I am too. I have in recent months spent some time travelling to different barracks and Army bases and meeting with personnel. What I see all over the country is their professionalism, dedication and commitment.”
“I disagree that people are being pushed into the courts. The situation is exactly the opposite. I have said in the Chamber many times since I started taking these questions that the State Claims Agency is there and wants to mediate and work directly with people in order that cases do not go directly to the courts.”
“We are all committed to strengthening recruitment to and supporting retention in the Permanent Defence Force. The military authorities have advised that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,823 personnel on 31 May, the most recent date for which we have a figure available.”
“It is the case that no mission is the same, so it is also a matter for the Defence Forces to assess and scope out the mission and then to decide whether it is a mission we can partake in. A question keeps being asked about what it is we would not be able to be a part of if we were to keep the triple lock.”
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“This is the way we want to move forward - that we can mediate and find a way forward - but those approaches have been rejected pending the cases having been set down for hearing. I would encourage all those involved. We want to find a way forward. We do not want this to have to go to a court setting. There is an offer there from the State Claims Agency to work with it and with its legal representatives. We all want to find a mutually agreeable resolution, taking into consider what people have gone through and the current individual situation for those involved in this overall. I would encourage them to take up that offer and to engage more broadly with us.”
“I then requested further detailed analysis from them. I have received that and carefully considered it. I convened a meeting with the Attorney General, representatives from the State Claims Agency and officials from my Department to discuss the matter further, having sought various different advices. There are accusations that the State is prolonging legal proceedings as a deliberate tactic but that is not the case. It is important to stress that at every step of the way, the engagement that we have had, be it through the State Claims Agency working with individuals, has been to try to find a resolution and to work constructively with them. The State Claims Agency has confirmed to me that it has made representations to the legal representatives of the litigants to explore the possibility of mediation to find a resolution to this issue.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this. I acknowledge the Deputy's engagement around the issue. I welcome the opportunity to set out the position as it stands. As there are multiple ongoing cases before the courts, as I have stated previously, I am limited in terms of what I can say so that I do not prejudice any of the ongoing litigation. The Deputy has said previously that it is possible to discuss both but I always want to be careful in that regard. The advice available to me is that any view I have here needs to be carefully expressed so that we do not undermine the current process. Each claim has to receive the necessary case-specific analysis and consideration because what is clear is that each individual case is different to a certain extent. I had a number of briefs from my officials on this.”
“More broadly, we need to make sure we are doing everything that we can to focus on increased recruitment and retention. We have a defence sector working group, which was established to examine the representative associations' proposals. We are working with RACO and PDFORRA proposals under local bargaining. What that is doing is identifying measures to increase recruitment and retention, with a particular emphasis on the Naval Service because with the new national maritime security strategy and with the need for us to do more when it comes to maritime security, our focus on the Naval Service is important and the cadets within that. We are seeing an increase in numbers also.”
“I stress that the claim was received by the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers. The claim is being dealt with under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Forces. The Deputy will appreciate the discussions under the conciliation and arbitration scheme are confidential but I look forward to, and hope we can have, that constructive engagement and that conclusion reached as soon as possible. The Deputy is correct. There is quite a variation from €26,248 to €39,026. I would stress, however, that if you are a cadet coming in, your accommodation is paid for and your food is paid for. Obviously, for a lot of people, that would account for a significant portion of any wage that they would get on a weekly or a monthly basis.”
“We are seeing a significant increase in the number of applications, more broadly, across the Defence Forces. There were 16,500 applications last year and up to the end of March of this year alone, there have been 7,000. There is a significant increase in interest and I think it is because we are investing more. We are clear that we want to expand the Defence Forces. We want to invest in the men and women who are there but we want to invest in greater capabilities. There are more opportunities, be it in the Naval Service, the Air Corps or the Army, for people and that is reflected in the overall figures.”
“I agree. I would like to see things move on. I would like to see a resolution as quickly as possible. It is obviously going through the process. Again, the current public service pay agreement to which the members of the Permanent Defence Forces are party provides for that local bargaining process. It provides for that 3% of basic pay, with the 1% to be paid from the current agreement and the balance to be addressed in any successor pay agreement. There is an opportunity beyond the current engagement to examine pay and conditions, including cadet pay, through that process. There is a number of different ways in which we can look at this. It is encouraging, not only for cadets. However, if you look at the number of applications for cadets in 2022, it was 1,297. If you fast-forward to this year, it is 2,878.”
“At the same time, I appreciate that when it comes to overall pay and cadet pay, in particular, we need to make quicker progress through the conciliation and arbitration agenda. This is something on which I have committed to working with them.”
“What is important here as well is that we are investing in where they are staying and where they are eating their meals. In the past two weeks alone, I opened quite a large new canteen facility, essentially, in the barracks in Dundalk. In the past two weeks, I also opened accommodation in Haulbowline for a significant number of new recruits. We want to make sure we are investing significantly in where they are staying, where they are being fed and where they are training and in their gym where they need to do their training. This year alone about €70 million is being spent specifically for accommodation. That is an investment in the men and women of our Defence Forces.”
“It is an issue that is currently on the conciliation and arbitration agenda. I have agreed on top of that to give further consideration to the issue and the process that is ongoing. I outlined at that meeting, however, that any cost-increasing claims must be addressed within the parameters of public pay policy. I think we all know that but we want to make sure that structure is progressing and that claim is progressing as well. The Deputy will be aware as well that different pay scales apply during training, obviously, for different periods for cadets and recruits. The current pay scale applicable to cadets ranges from €26,248 to €39,026, depending on their qualification. In addition, cadets are provided with accommodation and meals free of charge for the duration of their training as part of their overall package.”
“I fully agree. The world is changing. We need to expand our Defence Forces. We need to enhance our capabilities. However, we need to make sure we have the men and women in our Defence Forces to be able to operate and be able to grow in the way we need to. That means looking to retain those we have but also encouraging more and supporting our cadets as well. As the Deputy will be aware, there has been significant progress made more broadly in terms of pay and conditions for the Defence Forces personnel, particularly over the past six years. There has been a renewed focus, and rightly so, in making sure we increase pay and that the pay is reflective of the work and training that is happening. I met with representatives of RACO on 22 January 2026 and they, of course, raised the issue of cadet pay with me.”
“In terms of making it clear around the overall missions, again, it would not be within our power to send our troops to anything other than peacekeeping missions or, as we have seen in recent times because of the conflicts happening around the world, where we need to get people out safely. That is something we really need to be able to do.”
“They do a really important job in terms of arms. We want to now use that mission to be able to monitor the Russian shadow fleets - an illegal fleet that is funding an illegal war and a maritime disaster ready to happen. The fact that Russia would be able to block that does not make any sense. It is taking away our sovereign ability to make a decision as to where we send our troops but it is also stopping us from doing what we should be doing and that is monitoring its illegal activity and making sure we do everything in our power to stop it from being able to wage the war it is waging and possibly more beyond that.”
“The first thing to say is that any change to our triple lock does not change our position of neutrality. Our position of neutrality is about joining military alliances. If we are to deploy troops under this new legislation, it would have to align with, adhered to and be firmly grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law. That would be our law, so to do anything other than that would be to breach our law. This would be overseen by committees and by the Chamber. We fully support the UN. I make this point every single time I engage with it at an international level and it knows that. However, we know that the structure is not working at the moment. The fact is Russia would able to stop a mission that is currently under way in the Mediterranean in which our troops participate.”
“What we want that mandate for is to be able to monitor the shadow fleet in our waters that is causing huge challenges and that is funding the war in Ukraine. There is also a potential environmental disaster looming with any of these ships. How do we know it is going to be blocked? We know the Russian person who is perpetrating these crimes is on the committee and is able to do it. The idea that Russia would be able to stop us from keeping our troops on a mission in the Mediterranean that would monitor what are illegal ships is absolutely crazy. It is crazy that we are in a situation that, as a country, we cannot deploy our troops because a country like Russia is going to be able to stop us.”
“That mission has not been continued because we know it would have been vetoed. If it had been vetoed and if a vote had gone through last year, our troops would have had to have left immediately. Decades-long service of Lebanon peacekeeping troops would have ended immediately. We would have had no ability to send our troops back unless we had a new mission put in place, be it a common security and defence policy, CSDP, mission, which is something at which we are looking at the moment. Moreover, and on top of that, we now have another mission, Operation Irini, that we are looking at very carefully but which very soon, in the coming weeks, could come to an end because it looks as though that mandate is not going to be renewed.”
“The Deputy said this is about protecting future Governments that might decide to deploy our troops to missions that are not based on the UN Charter and are not upholding and protecting fundamental principles of international law. What I am saying very clearly is that the legislation would have this enshrined in it. It would be very clear as to how and when our troops could be deployed. There would be a level of oversight within the Oireachtas. It would have to be voted through by a democratically elected Government. There would also be a level of oversight within the committee, depending on when or how many troops are being deployed. That would also be included in the legislation. We have a situation emerging at the moment. We now have some of the final members from the 128th Infantry Battalion who are going out to UNIFIL.”
“I have considered carefully a number of recommendations from the report and brought this to Cabinet recently. Drafting work is under way to progress some of the recommendations, specifically around the international obligations but also in terms of annual reporting. I accept that where one element is removed from what has been a long-standing process, we have to make sure that any mechanism we have in the Oireachtas and across the committees has a level of oversight and scrutiny. What was stressed by the committee is that in any changes that are made, it is very clear that any peacekeeping mission that will be approved will be in line with and grounded firmly by the principles of the UN Charter and international law. That is something the committee has stated very clearly.”
“Essentially, we have a situation whereby other countries, many of which are at war or in conflict at the moment, are able to make a decision that impacts on our sovereign decision-making process when it comes to where and how we deploy our troops. That position is untenable. Any considerations on international peacekeeping engagements should be within Ireland's exclusive sovereign control. It should be our own decision-making process and it should be purely within the remit of Government here so that we can have these debates in the Oireachtas with people who have been democratically elected by the people of this country. This is a very strong belief and firm view that I have. I thank the committee for the excellent work it did on the pre-legislative scrutiny. This legislation has gone through a number of stages at this point.”
“I fully agree with the Deputy. We can all see that we are living in a very changed world and a more complex world, particularly when it comes to our overall security environment. That being said, I want to make it absolutely clear that the Government has no desire to change our position and our policy of military neutrality. This is something that is long-standing and something that the vast majority of people in this country support. However, it is my intention and the intention of Government to change the terms of how our Defence Forces can be deployed overseas. I, and I think many colleagues in this House, believe that it is untenable to continue with the current policy.”
“There are, as I mentioned, over 80,000 claims to date, before the war has even ended. The claims commission will be the body that assesses and determines those claims. Establishing the claims commission is the next step in getting ready to ensure accountability for Russia’s war of aggression. It is one Ireland should join. I commend this motion to the House and trust Dáil Éireann will support the ratification of the convention. I look forward to engaging with colleagues on this.”
“When it does, we must be ready to act and to hold Russia accountable for its brutal attacks and the unspeakable suffering and damage it has inflicted. Fundamentally under the convention, it is expected that the Russian Federation, once it becomes a member, will bear the full costs of the claims commission from the time the convention enters into force. Crucially, it is expected that the Russian Federation will be the one to fund the compensation determined and awarded by the commission under the convention. Until such a time as this happens it is incumbent upon us, together with our international partners, to make ready the system for this to happen. The register of damages has already begun recording the claims for compensation for damage, loss and injury inflicted by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.”
“We know them, they are in our communities, they are in our schools and they are working in our businesses. We provided these supports even as Russia chose to continue targeting Ukraine’s civilians and its critical infrastructure, even as Russia carried out reprehensible attacks on Ukrainian energy systems throughout the bitter winter and even as Russia launched over 6,800 long-range drones and missiles into Ukraine in April, making it the most intense month of long-range aerial attacks so far in the war. In the meantime, we continue to welcome efforts to end the war of aggression against Ukraine and to achieve lasting and just peace and security. One day this brutal war of aggression will end.”
“Since February 2022 Ireland has contributed over €500 million in support of Ukraine. Last month, I announced a further €40 million in humanitarian and stabilisation supports for 2026. This winter, Ireland contributed €26 million to Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure. It is important to stress this is money that is going directly to communities that have been impacted by this devastating war for many years now. Ireland strongly supported the agreement at EU level of the €90 billion support loan in December and we welcome the recent unblocking of the decision to allow us to move forward with this loan. Ireland has also welcomed over 120,000 Ukrainians under the temporary protection directive. There are still some 84,000 Ukrainians here.”
“Estonia and Iceland have now ratified the convention and a number of other states have said they intend to ratify it in the coming weeks and months. Today I seek Dáil Éireann’s approval of the terms of the convention. In effect, I seek Members' approval for Ireland to support the important steps being taken by the Council of Europe towards holding Russia accountable for its actions. A Cheann Comhairle, right now as Russia’s war of aggression continues, Ireland, along with our fellow EU member states, is committed to making sure Ukraine gets the supports it needs to continue to defend itself and to put it in the strongest possible position in peace negotiations. We are continuing to provide political support, financial support, humanitarian support and non-lethal military support to Ukraine.”
“At this point too, the House should understand the financial cost to Ireland would be a proportionate annual contribution towards the administrative costs of the claims commission. It is too soon to say precisely what that will be, but we expect it will be less than €1 million per year. This contribution would only start once the convention has come into force. The convention will enter into force when 25 countries, or regional integration organisations, have ratified it and when the associated financial commitments are enough to support the work of the commission starting off. The convention opened for signature on 16 December last year. Some 35 states, including Ireland, as well as the European Union have signed it.”
“This forms the backdrop to the third possible part of that mechanism, which would be a compensation fund to meet these claims. This still needs to be put in place. In terms of accountability, the finance needed to provide these funds should be contributed by Russia as reparations for its aggression against Ukraine. The convention expressly provides for the expectation that the Russian Federation will fund the compensation determined and awarded by the claims commission and that other commission members will not be required to fund the compensation. Ratifying the convention represents an important endorsement of the principle of accountability and sends a message to Russia that it cannot carry on as if nothing wrong has been done.”
“It will be an administrative body that examines claims of damage, loss or injury due to certain acts that have been committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine or against Ukraine. It will determine whether compensation is due and how much, if any, is due. In this way, the claims commission will be the second of three components of a broader compensation mechanism. The first component was the establishment of a register of damage caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which was set up in 2023. This has already received over 80,000 claims. Its operation will transfer to the claims commission after it is established. The commission will review, assess and decide on claims it receives and determine the amount of compensation due.”
“Today we have an opportunity to support Ireland’s participation in the convention establishing an international claims commission to assess damages, loss or injury inflicted by Russia on Ukraine. The establishment of this claims commission is a key step towards delivering that accountability. It forms part of a broader international compensation mechanism, which the Council of Europe decided to establish in 2023 following the 2022 UN General Assembly resolution, "Furtherance of remedy and reparation for aggression against Ukraine." It forms part of a system that seeks to ensure that Russia is held accountable for its actions and the destruction that it has caused. In taking this step, it is important to note that the claims commission will not itself be responsible for paying out compensation directly.”
“I saw the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people and I took part in discussions about the measures we can take to ensure accountability for that aggression. Ireland and this House has been firm in its support of Ukraine throughout the more than four years of this war. We have been firm in our support for accountability as a matter of principle in the same way as we have long stood firm on the importance of human rights, international law and multilateralism. We have supported initiatives through the Council of Europe to deliver accountability and in the coming weeks, we will vote in favour of a resolution at the Council of Europe ministerial meeting advancing the establishment of the special tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine.”
“to oppose any decision that weakens pressure on Russia for this war as long as war and occupation and the propaganda of hatred continue. All the pressure on Russia must remain in place, so that Russia does not believe it will be rewarded for this war with stolen Ukrainian land or thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children ... [and that] Russian killers cannot freely travel the world as if they have done nothing wrong. I visited Ukraine in April when I attended the foreign affairs Council in Kyiv. I stood in solidarity with the victims of the atrocities inflicted upon innocent civilians in Bucha by Russian forces in 2022. I saw first hand the devastating human cost of war. I witnessed for myself the hardship and tragedy still being caused by Russia’s war of aggression more than four full years later.”
“Just a few months ago in December 2025 the Oireachtas heard directly from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine as he addressed Members in this Chamber during his visit to Ireland. He spoke passionately about the situation in his country, and he spoke eloquently about Ireland’s support for Ukraine. He situated the invasion of his country in a wider context and stated that it takes a community of nations to make a truly lasting peace. He asked us to remember that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a criminal and unprovoked act of aggression, which cries out for justice. He said that it has happened for one reason only, which is "because Russia wants to treat Ukraine as its property and Ukrainians as if they belong in its backyard like livestock." In terms of accountability, he urged Members: ...”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to Article 29.5.2° of Bunreacht na hÉireann, approves the terms of the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine, signed at The Hague on 16th December, 2025, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 1st May, 2026. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this motion today. The convention we seek to ratify is about establishing an international claims commission for Ukraine. It is about Ireland supporting and being part of the efforts of the international community to ensure justice and reparations for Ukraine. Above all, it is about ensuring accountability for the damage and destruction caused by Russia through its unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of its neighbour.”
“We will continue to support people in whatever way we can as a Government to protect jobs and livelihoods and support our communities the length and breadth of this country.”
“I wonder will the Opposition support this package or will it reject it in the way it did the previous €250 million. Peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democracy. It must always be respected and, indeed, we must all protect it. However, preventing fuel from reaching communities during a fuel crisis, at a time when supply chains are under pressure, only risks shortages and places further strain on communities. I again stress that the strains and pressures we are experiencing are driven mainly by global events, conflict, instability and supply chain disruption far beyond our shores. What we can do as a Government, and what we are doing, is to mitigate those impacts.”
“We intervened early with an initial package of €250 million, making it clear at the time that we would continue to engage with those most impacted, but also recognising the evolving nature of this crisis, including the possibility that fuel costs might ease in the event of a ceasefire. This has not been the case and so engagement has continued. The Opposition does not have monopoly on engagement. We have all spoken to those in our constituencies - hauliers, farmers, bus operators and farm contractors. We have engaged over the past number of weeks with those hardest hit by the increase in fuel costs but we are also recognising that everybody is being hit by this global crisis. That is why a further package of €525 million was agreed by Government this week. This is a direct response to the engagement and the concerns raised with all of us.”
“The partial closure and blockading of the Strait of Hormuz has had immediate and far-reaching consequences, sending shockwaves through global markets. As we all know, it is directly impacting families and businesses here in Ireland. We can see it at the pumps, in our bills and in the cost of living people are facing every day. We are all, in government, listening to the concerns of people, to our constituents and beyond. Despite the global uncertainty, this Government has acted. We were among the first governments to respond in recent weeks, responding at a greater level than many other countries.”
“I join colleagues in supporting this motion of confidence in the Government today. We are living through a period of profound global instability. Across the Gulf, we are seeing not only disruption to energy supply and vital shipping routes but we are witnessing the further appalling and unacceptable loss of life, the human cost of which cannot be overlooked. It is essential that we progress and engage with colleagues to urgently de-escalate and sustain our diplomatic engagement. I will continue with Government to engage with colleagues and counterparts across the Gulf and the Middle East with our ambassadors on the ground, our colleagues in the EU and of course with our counterparts in the US.”
“I believe the EU Presidency is an opportunity to make sure we can make further progress on our relationship with the UK. It is still one of our most important trading partners and closest neighbours. The relationship with the UK now, with Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, has changed and transformed. We can see that happening with the EU as well and we all benefit when that relationship gets stronger. There are a lot of opportunities, and we obviously want the Presidency to be a successful one. That is exactly what we will be working towards.”
“It is about that simplification agenda and looking to see how we can further strengthen the Single Market and break down barriers within the EU and seek more trade deals. I have mentioned that at least four are in the pipeline and that will hugely benefit our economies. Beyond that, whether it is China, India or other sectors we have not explored in the way we should, there are huge opportunities for business and citizens and communities because of that.”
“Everything we do is interconnected. Any of us who travelled in the past week or so, or indeed anyone who has been on any of the visits we make as parliamentarians, will have seen that our economic interests are supported by our cultural ties and what is happening in other regions and other parts of the world. All of this can have a significant impact on the quality of life citizens have here. While there is huge instability in the world, knowing the impacts it can have on our economy and people's quality of life, we need to make sure we can control the controllables and take away some of that uncertainty businesses and communities are feeling. That is what the trade forum is about and it is why I chair it every six or eight weeks. It is why our focus and one of key priorities during the EU Presidency will be competitiveness.”
“It is about looking out beyond the EU and what more we can do within the EU to support and enhance business at a time of huge uncertainty.”
“The simplification agenda will be a priority for me and the Government during the Presidency. This is about some of the barriers we have perhaps imposed on ourselves and making sure that we make it easier for businesses to do business within the EU. I am really pleased to see the EU's 28th regime, which is going to be led by our own European Commissioner Michael McGrath, and which was brought to the Commission and to some of our Council meetings today. Hopefully, we will make progress on this. It is about making sure that if a company does business in Ireland, it is easy then for it to do business in France, Germany, Poland and in every other member state. At the moment such companies have to go through individual processes for each country.”
“At an EU level we are diversifying and strengthening our economic resilience by reducing our overdependence on some of these particular markets. We have a number of new free trade agreements. Just this week we agreed the Australia agreement, which I very much welcome. It is an open and very much welcome agreement. We are also looking at negotiations with the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. There are lots of new markets we want to work on. In relation to EU-US trade relations, the most important thing is that we have clarity and the stability we thought we had last year with the Turnberry agreement and the US-EU joint statement. We are advocating to get back to that point. We also want to make progress on some of the further exemptions we need specifically for some of the key Irish sectors.”
“We can agree that in an increasingly volatile environment it is really important that we focus on what we can predict and what we can work on, not just within the EU market but with our international partners such as the US, the UK and beyond. There are a number of things I am doing, working closely with colleagues in government. At home we are meeting with companies to understand what the impacts are of a lot of the changes, be they tariffs or the regulatory environment more broadly. We are meeting with our companies. I also host the trade forum where we bring together representative organisations on a regular basis to understand the impacts of what is happening and to get feedback from them as to what more we can do.”
“My priority and that of all of our colleagues in government has been, through whatever avenue possible, be it through European Council meetings or trips in the past week for St Patrick’s Day, to raise the need for de-escalation. That can only happen when all parties come to the table. It is very clear there was not a UN mandate or sanction for this. All parties, the US, Israel and Iran, need to come to the table to negotiate. That is what we will continue to advocate for.”
“We have been absolutely clear as a Government that de-escalation is the only way forward. The longer this conflict goes on the more lives are lost, the more innocent civilians are caught up in this, the more impact it has on the region itself and destabilising the region and the wider the impact for all of us. We know the impact we are seeing already, whether at the petrol pumps, in heating our homes or in other areas. That is why we brought in a €250 million package this week in a way that other countries have perhaps not been able to do to respond to the needs of those who are filling their car and heating their homes, and to the needs of those who are most vulnerable. However, the longer this goes on the more challenging that becomes.”
“They are obviously working very closely with their international partners and battalions. I can assure the Deputy, families and those at home who of course are concerned about their loved ones that these operations through the UNIFIL HQ are kept under continual monitoring. The role of the peacekeepers however is to be there on the ground in these types of situations. The desire for peacekeepers to be there on the ground monitoring what is happening has been made very clear to me. Of course, we need to make sure that if situations change or escalate, that is taken into consideration. I have full belief in UNIFIL HQ and the decisions it takes.”
“In relation to the situation in Lebanon, it is not acceptable what is happening. It is essentially a ground invasion. The Israeli defence forces and army are trying to annex the south part of the region. Unfortunately, that is where many of our troops are, though not all. What I can assure the Deputy is that I am in regular daily contact with the Chief of the Defence Forces who provides me with updates of our troops and how they are. I am pleased to inform the House that all of our troops are safe and accounted for, and these are situations which are kept under continuous monitoring. There are times they have to go into groundhog, which is when they are underground in very confined small spaces for a long period of time. There are other days when that is not happening and they are out patrolling.”
“At the Foreign Affairs Council, FAC, and the European Council, member states condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure and the bypassing of international law and the UN charter. It is regrettable, or more than regrettable, that time was not allowed for dialogue and diplomacy. It has been made clear to us that the Friday before this attack happened, progress had been made. It is regrettable that further talks did not continue. The EU must now use all of our channels to encourage de-escalation and a return to diplomatic processes.”