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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“We have not joined the Board of Peace and have been clear in our reason for not doing so. We do not believe that any other structure should be mirroring the work of the UN at all. It is doing work with a particular focus on Gaza. That is why it was established. That was the UN resolution for which we and everybody else voted so that a structure would be put in place to support the redevelopment of Gaza and so that we could provide a clear pathway and future with a ceasefire for people on the ground. We support the structure that has emerged from the Board of Peace. What we really need is to ensure that the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian people are included in the work that is progressing.”
“While I believe that some progress has been made through the Board of Peace and the new board that has been established to try to bring about a structure in Palestine, it is not happening quickly enough. People are not able to get in. Many of them are still situated in Cairo. On top of that, as the Deputy has mentioned, in regard to the number of aid trucks and the amount of aid that is getting in, while my understanding from talking to ambassadors on the ground is that the situation has slightly improved, it is nowhere near where it needs to be. If we can, through the General Assembly and the UN structures, continue to raise these issues, we will. We need to do everything we can to bring about action. That is what we need. We need more trucks and openings and more progress on the Board of Peace.”
“I agree with the Deputy. My biggest concern is that the ongoing conflict in the wider region of the Middle East will take away our focus on our priority, which should be trying to find a way forward for the civilians in Gaza. We are, and I am, absolutely determined to ensure that will not be the case. At every meeting we have had, even where it related specifically to the ongoing conflict in Iran, I have raised the situation in Gaza and the need for us to make progress. I have raised what is happening in the West Bank. I have raised what is now, unfortunately, happening in Lebanon, where there is clearly an annexation happening in the south. I have said consistently that we need to do more.”
“No effective mandates for action in the areas of peace and security can be created by the General Assembly. It is not possible for the General Assembly to authorise a peacekeeping mission, for example, as it would lack the robust mandate required for such a mission to function effectively. Nevertheless, as we have seen in relation to the situation in Palestine, the consideration of any issue by the General Assembly is an important and impactful opportunity for each member state, including Ireland, to speak in defence of the protection of the fundamental values of the United Nations, as we have done, and to outline the horrors that have been happening and continue to happen in Gaza. In addition to our participation in this, we take every opportunity to reiterate our support for that just and sustainable peace by always intervening.”
“Since 1997, there has been an emergency special session dedicated specifically to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. The fact that it has been resumed over 20 times since it was established, including on multiple occasions since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on 7 October 2023, is a reflection of the importance that the international community and the UN give to the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland will continue to actively participate in this special emergency session. It is important, however, to acknowledge what the uniting for peace resolution can and cannot do. The resolution itself does not create any obligation on the Security Council or any other body of the United Nations to act, nor is it binding on any UN member state.”
“I agree with the Deputy that the UN is the best place for all of us to work together and Ireland, as a member and a partner, will always stand up for and advocate for the UN and its structures. We understand how important it has been, not just in this conflict but in many conflicts and, most important, in its resolutions over decades. In relation to the uniting for peace resolution, Ireland will always take part in and be a part of any structure or grouping with member states that can provide a way forward. The resolution itself provides for an emergency session of the General Assembly to be called on matters where a lack of unanimity in the Security Council prevents action in relation to international peace and security.”
“I would again stress that where we have made real progress for people on the ground and seen the ceasefire progress and where pressure has been put on Israel and other parties, it is where we have worked together, not where one country has moved forward on its own but where we have moved forward collectively. I agree with the Deputy that what is happening on the ground is appalling. It is not acceptable and it is not in line with the ceasfire or what has been agreed. In fact, when I met with colleagues in Washington from all sides of the houses, both Republican and Democratic, they all agreed that what is happening in Israel, and in the West Bank in particular, is illegal and is not appropriate and they want it to stop as well. We are all on the same page. The question is how we exert pressure and make progress?”
“In terms of the programme for Government commitment, it was relating to goods and we were very clear on that. The Oireachtas committee then asked that we would look at services and it is important that we engage with the committee and its recommendations on any legislation. That was the advice that was asked of the Attorney General and that was the advice that I received soon after coming into the Department, just before Christmas. Questions needed to be asked and those have been asked of the Attorney General. I expect to get a response from him soon. Once we have that response, we will progress the legislation. It is not the case that we receive a Bill and it moves straight into the Houses. There is always engagement with the Attorney General.”
“We are also calling at every opportunity for progress on the peace board, the board that has been put in place to try to develop and ensure that people on the ground are starting to see a normal way of life again. However, a lot more work needs to be done and I appreciate that.”
“What I also know, from talking to my European colleagues and from the actions we have taken in the past that have helped to lead us the ceasefire, albeit an imperfect one, is that we are most effective when we act in unison and work together at a European level. A number of European countries are progressing legislation and looking at what we are doing as well. We are engaging with them, and where we make movement together and where we are looking at legislation that can actually be enacted and be impactful, we can make a bigger difference. That does not mean we are not doing anything in the meantime. We are providing assistance and increasing our assistance in ways other countries are not.”
“I agree with the Deputy that what is happening is appalling. I fully agree that what we are seeing is appalling. The ceasefire is not a proper ceasefire. Over 400 people have been killed since then and proper aid is not being let in. I visited the area myself at the beginning of the year and saw that goods that are by no means, or could ever be described as, a threat are not being let in. Enough food is still not being let in. We are doing our utmost. Our focus, and my priority at the outset, is to ensure that aid gets in because that is the most immediate need. Parallel to that, we need to determine how we stop what is escalating in the West Bank. I fully agree we are seeing an increase in settler violence and displacement.”
“As the Deputy can appreciate, I cannot discuss here advice provided by the Attorney General to the Government but what I can say is that the advice reflects the very significant difficulties that going beyond our programme for Government commitments and adding a prohibition on services to the legislation would entail. Following detailed consideration by my Department, clarification has been sought from the Attorney General on a number of legal issues related to the advice provided and I expect to receive that very soon.”
“The main purpose of the Bill is to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, in line with the programme for Government commitment. Legally, the regulation of external trade in services is considerably more complex than is the case with goods at EU level. Obviously, the Oireachtas committee itself had done a body of work on this and had asked for this to be looked at. There is greater complexity when it comes to implementation than is the case when it comes to trade in goods. The Government has received the Attorney General’s advice on the question of whether the inclusion of services in the Bill is permissible under EU law.”
“Whether it is the recognition of Palestine, decisions we have taken at European level, the humanitarian assistance that has been provided or progressing this legislation, every objective here has been to ensure a lasting peace and to protect civilians on the ground. The Bill itself is not straightforward and we have always been very clear in saying that, given the need for any legislation to be implementable on the ground but also the fact that requests on the legislation and the possible scope of it have changed and varied. In June 2025, the Government approved the general scheme of the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this question. He is right that this something we have debated and discussed many times, and not just the Bill itself but the ongoing devastating conflict in Gaza in the Middle East. That conflict has now, unfortunately, escalated and widened and is now including many more innocent civilians. Everything that this Government and the previous one have done and everything the people of this country have done has been with the sole intention of making sure we can bring about a lasting peace. It is about making sure that those innocent civilians who are impacted by this ongoing conflict are protected and assisted in every way possible and that we have a pathway towards a two-state solution. That is something that we all agree on here and that we all want to achieve.”
“We call for a cessation of hostilities, for urgent steps to de-escalate and for restraint. We need to see a return to diplomacy and we need the UN to have a role. Responding to the effects of this crisis will remain a priority for this Government, as will ensuring the safety of our citizens in the gulf region.”
“While international attention is focused on Iran, the situation in the West Bank remains extremely serious. Israeli military operations have displaced at least 40,000 people since January and have caused widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and homes. People are being killed on a daily basis. Recent decisions by the Israeli authorities to expand their control of the West Bank and to expand settlement activity are part of an established pattern to create a new status quo in the occupied Palestinian territories. This is unacceptable and needs to stop. I will continue to work with EU partners on appropriate action in response to these continued breaches. I raised this directly with other foreign ministers on our call this morning. This conflict has the potential to have lasting impacts across the gulf and the wider Middle East.”
“I was also dismayed to see the closure of crossings into Gaza immediately following the outbreak of the current conflict on Saturday. While one of these crossings has reopened, this is quite simply not enough and I call on Israel to reopen all remaining crossings. We will continue to work to ensure that the humanitarian situation on the ground in Gaza is urgently addressed. The situation remains no less urgent than it was before the current escalation began. Turning the tide on widespread malnutrition is likely to take months and substantial humanitarian aid at scale is required. While one of the crossings has opened up, that is quite simply nowhere near enough. I also call on Israel to lift restrictions on the transportation of supplies into the West Bank.”
“Our forces in UNIFIL will continue to do their duty to fulfil their mandate and help achieve security for all the people. However, we must be very clear that any ground incursions or attacks near or in and around the UNIFIL mandate put our troops at risk. This cannot be tolerated. This House will also be concerned, as are we all, about the impacts of this conflict for the people of Palestine. I spoke with my counterpart, the foreign minister of Palestine, this morning and once again reiterated our full support for the Palestinian people. I regret that the conflict in Gaza risks being overshadowed by the current escalation and that there is a risk that the momentum that had been established to end the Gaza conflict will be disrupted.”
“I condemn the missile attacks by Hezbollah on Israel. These are utterly unacceptable and must stop. However, I must equally condemn Israel’s military response, its aerial bombardment and its launch of ground operations. This is a direct violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty as a state. It puts civilian populations at risk. It has not given Lebanon the chance to try to remove this threat by other, more long-lasting, means. I fear that a unique chance to break the cycle of violence between Israel and Lebanon may be lost and that greater instability and destruction may lie ahead. In these circumstances, our attention and that of Deputies here will be particularly on the safety of our own personnel, our own troops in UNIFIL. I am regularly briefed by the Chief of Staff and am pleased to again confirm that our peacekeepers are safe.”
“This morning I was due to be in Paris at a conference organised by France to bring together international support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, LAF, to help them restore security and control over their country. That meeting has had to be postponed. In recent months, the LAF have done a great deal, tripling their presence in the south of Lebanon, the area where UNIFIL is deployed. The Government of Lebanon had announced a phased plan for the LAF to secure the disarmament of Hezbollah and other groups so that Lebanon would no longer be a hostage to armed militias and it had completed the first stage of that plan. In response to the renewed Hezbollah attacks on Israel, the Government of Lebanon moved to outlaw all military activity by Hezbollah and instructed the LAF to move ahead with disarming the group.”
“The longer this goes on the more challenging it will be, which is why it is important, not just to prevent loss of life but more generally for economic and international security, that this conflict comes to an end immediately. As the House is aware, Ireland has a deep connection and commitment to Lebanon, going back many decades. For far too long, other people have made Lebanon their battleground, and we have sought, both politically and especially through the work of our Defence Forces, to assist the people of Lebanon in regaining the stability and prosperity that were once the envy of the Middle East. It is deeply distressing, therefore, that the actions of Hezbollah, and of Iran, have once more dragged them into conflict.”
“I and my Department are carefully monitoring the potential economic and trade impacts arising from this instability in the region, which is a significant export market and a major global hub for goods and energy. Earlier this week, I briefed a meeting of the trade forum on these concerns and, importantly, I had an opportunity to hear from representatives of the business community which is represented in that region and beyond. This will remain a priority as we navigate our way through the days ahead. The Tánaiste answered questions this morning and gave a very clear commitment that we will respond where necessary and we will make it absolutely clear that there should be no changes to fuel prices at our pumps today. There should be absolutely no impact based on what is happening today.”
“I assure the House that the Department will continue to offer consular assistance through the team and through our missions in the region and we will update with further guidance as things change. I hope and expect that further commercial options will become available in the coming days targeted at non-residents and those who are in transit, and providing opportunities more generally for those who wish to leave the region. In addition to these aspects of the conflict, I am also aware of the potential economic impacts. We have seen disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Some 20% of global oil and gas supplies pass through this narrow waterway. There has been an increase in the price of oil since markets opened on Monday.”
“We have been encouraging people to register their presence in the region, and I appreciate and acknowledge that a significant number have done so. This is not a registration of intent to leave, or a statement that people wish to leave. I ask Deputies that in their engagement through social media channels and otherwise they encourage people who wish to leave to contact the consular crisis number in Dublin if they have not already done so. This team has been set up specifically set up with the only objective of engaging with people to make sure this information is known so we can then pass it on to our team working through the details for our charter flight and so we can more generally identify those who wish to leave.”
“A second flight from Dubai to Dublin is scheduled to be taking off this afternoon and I anticipate and expect we will have more direct flights to Dublin over the coming days. This twin-track approach of planning for assisted departures while remaining in close contact with the airlines will continue. The resumption of commercial routes, however limited, remains the best possible way of ensuring that as many of our citizens who need and wish to do so can leave the region. I acknowledge that citizens in the region may be concerned if they are not contacted by officials today or if they do not receive an update from their airline. I reiterate again that any citizen in the region who wishes to leave should contact the consular crisis team in Dublin.”
“Citizens should follow the directions of the local authorities and the advice issued on social media by the Irish Embassy in their country of residence. This is the best way to get the most up-to-date information. In parallel, from the very outset we have been in close contact with the airlines operating in the region. It is very welcome, and we all saw the scenes in Dublin Airport last night, that the first flight, with Emirates, arrived from Dubai to Dublin. Before then, many Irish people were availing of commercial flights to the UK and other parts of Europe. Through our consultation and engagement with the airlines it is very welcome that the first flight to Dublin arrived last night.”
“My officials are also working to assist as best they can a small number of Irish citizens currently resident in Iran, most of whom have been resident in the country for many years. We are supporting them and most, if not all, have indicated they do not wish to leave the region. Of course, we continue to keep close engagement with them. I spoke to the ambassador resident there this morning in this regard. Diplomats from all of our embassies in the region are actively engaged in supporting Irish citizens who are affected. I had the opportunity to meet all of them virtually this morning. Our travel advice remains that Irish citizens should not undertake travel to Iran and our advice at this time to citizens in the country and throughout the region is to shelter in place.”
“These citizens are being contacted by my officials since yesterday, and this ongoing outreach will continue until all of those eligible have been contacted. It is important to say at this point that many people who have been contacted have chosen not to avail of the flight. As more commercial flights become available the decision is being taken by individuals to remain and potentially get those commercial flights. We understand this and appreciate that everybody has to make their own decision in this regard. The consular crisis centre in my Department has had extensive contact with Irish citizens and their families in Ireland who have been affected and continues to co-ordinate the consular response as the situation evolves.”
“The plans are conditional on the prevailing security that can impact the movement of citizens by land, as we are asking people to move from where they are to Oman, and the necessary permission from local air traffic control authorities for the flight to depart. This first charter will be targeted at Irish citizens currently in UAE, particularly those who are non-resident. We have tried to identify those who are vulnerable and who may require assistance most urgently. This very much depends on the individual and what their needs are but we are engaging directly with citizens and trying to provide as much support as possible to those who need it. In particular, those in transit will be included in this group.”
“It is likely to remain the case in the coming days that there will be limited airspace, whether in the UAE or the wider region. I have instructed my officials to activate plans for an assisted departure from the region in response to this. Appropriate, timely and effective action has been a priority for the Government in relation to this crisis. The first Government charter flight for Irish citizens is due to depart the region later this week, provided that security and operational considerations permit. As Deputies are aware and can appreciate, this is an incredibly complex and fast-moving situation.”
“Many residents there now wish to come home. EU Foreign Ministers agreed on the importance of close co-operation and co-ordination among EU member states on consular matters. My Department is working with, and is in constant dialogue with, existing EU consular mechanisms to try to co-ordinate assistance across the region where we need to expand it. There is, of course, as we know and as we have seen in recent days, extensive flight disruption across the region. This has already impacted many Irish citizens, including those in regions not immediately affected by the conflict. Much of the airspace in the region was closed in the initial days of the crisis, and this in itself created a significant backlog of people wishing to get home.”
“This is the quickest way for people to get the most up-to-date information for their own region. We know there is differing advice and various things happening throughout the Gulf region. Travel advice published by my Department has also been updated to advise against travel to Iran, Israel and Lebanon and to avoid non-essential travel to all other countries in the Gulf region. I continue to work closely with my EU counterparts. As I have said, I participated in an extraordinary meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers on Sunday, which took place virtually, on the current conflict in the Middle East. During the meeting, I and many colleagues emphasised that our priority is the safety of our citizens living in the region and of those who have been caught up simply by the fact they were transiting through on holidays.”
“Since Saturday, when I stood up the consular crisis team in my Department, officials have managed more than 2,300 queries from citizens in Ireland and across the region. My officials are working with existing EU consular mechanisms to co-ordinate assistance across the region. They are engaging with other embassies, the Government and airlines. They are doing everything they can to provide the most up-to-date support and advice to Irish citizens. For Irish citizens in the region the advice is to shelter in place, and this continues to be the best advice, to avoid unnecessary movement, and to follow the directions of the local authorities. We take this advice from the local authorities on the ground. Irish citizens should also actively monitor advice issued on social media by the local Irish embassies.”
“The most recent figure I have seen is more than 24,400, and we know this figure increases on a daily basis. More than 16,000 of these have registered for the first time since the weekend. I fully understand, as we all do, the anxiety, stress and concerns of Irish citizens across the region, with continuing strikes from Iran. Of course we also understand the stress and anxiety of their families and friends in Ireland and other parts of the world. I assure the House that my Department, including officials working in our embassies in the region, is actively engaged in supporting Irish citizens who are affected, and will provide all possible consular assistance. Our crisis centre has had extensive contact with Irish citizens and their families who have been affected, including residents and holidaymakers.”
“Ultimately, the future of Iran must be determined by the people of Iran and in a way that creates stability in the region. Iranians should be free to express their views without the fear of further violence. I acknowledge the Iranian community here and those who are very scared and worried for their family members and friends. The path to such an outcome is far from certain and a risk of continuing instability is real. Let me turn now to one of the most pressing priorities for my Department that has been caused by the current escalation in the Middle East. As all Deputies in the House are aware, a large number of Irish citizens are resident in Gulf countries, in particular in the United Arab Emirates. Approximately 24,000 citizens across the region have registered their presence on the citizen's registration platform.”
“The future of Iran is particularly uncertain following the killing of supreme leader, the Ayatollah. Iran has imposed a communications blackout so accurate information is not available. In the absence of the supreme leader, Iran’s leadership is constitutionally led by a council made up of the President, the Chief Justice and Ayatollah Arafi, a member of the guardian council. In practice, the military commanders and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, leaders seem to be in the driving seat. From speaking to some of our colleagues in the region, they are of the view in particular where civilian infrastructure has been attacked in those countries which are not part of this conflict, it has been led by the military commanders and the IRCG.”
“The attacks by Iran on Gulf states, many of which have large Irish communities, and on Jordan and Türkiye, are unacceptable. These countries have not attacked Iran and have shown commendable restraint in the face of attacks on them. In the meeting this morning, I expressed our solidarity and support and thanked them for the support and assistance they are providing to our citizens. We are deeply disturbed by attacks on civilian infrastructure, including hotels, hospitals and residential apartment blocks. We are all shocked and appalled by the loss of so many young lives in the bombing of the school in Minab. This is devastating for their families and communities. The killing of children can never be justified. It must be condemned in all circumstances. It is utterly unacceptable and we have to be clear on this.”
“Our position on Iran’s nuclear programme is clear - Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. We had strongly supported the joint comprehensive plan of action - Iran nuclear agreement. When it ceased to function, we urged Iran to engage meaningfully in negotiations to address the legitimate concerns of the international community. I regret that more time was not allowed for dialogue and diplomacy. I remain convinced this is the best way to address these issues. We are instead confronted with reality of conflict. Over the past days and today I have spoken to many of my counterparts in the region to express our solidarity and to discuss how we can find a way out of this situation. Earlier today, I took part in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council which Gulf ministers attended.”
“If the UN fails and if the Security Council is unable to act, it is because member states do not empower it to do so. It has always been Ireland’s position to support the UN and the international multilateral system. This is the approach we have taken since the start of this conflict and will continue to take. Our priority must be to quickly end this conflict and for urgent de-escalation. We urgently need to get back to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. There is a real risk, as we can all see, of this conflict widening, as it already has. I call on all with influence to use it constructively in the interest of peace. We have made crystal clear our condemnation of the Iranian regime - its brutal repression of its citizens, malign role in the region and support for Russia’s war on Ukraine.”
“My position and the position of Government is clear - the current military operations by the United States and Israel have no mandate or authorisation from the United Nations nor has any attempt been made to seek such an authorisation. Ireland’s position on the use of force outside such a context is well established and known. Ireland’s position is equally clear that all states must abide by international law and the principles of the UN Charter. I was equally clear and strong in my engagement at the emergency meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on Sunday - indeed, Ireland was among those making the strongest remarks on this point. The UN system, however imperfect, is an essential security asset for small states including Ireland.”
“We meet at a critical moment for the Gulf and the wider Middle East. We are all deeply concerned by the outbreak of conflict since Saturday, the scenes of death and destruction we are witnessing, the impact on our citizens across the Gulf caught up in this conflict, the consequences for some of our closest partners in the region, the situation facing our peacekeepers serving in UNIFIL and by the potential for this conflict to intensify and further threaten international peace and security. Responding to the effects of this crisis has been a priority for this Government and for me and my colleagues in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.”
“There is much more that I could say about this and I appreciate that the Cathaoirleach has given me latitude with time as it is. A huge amount of work is happening. I am, and I think colleagues here are, really ambitious in ensuring we can go beyond what we have been doing in the recent past and support the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann. I sincerely thank the men and women of our Defence Forces for the work they do day in and day out in often very difficult circumstances at home and abroad. We are all extremely proud of them. We are all ambitious about making sure we can provide them with the support, resources and expansion that they need to be able to respond to the changing and challenging environment in the world we are living in.”
“Therefore, one specific action resulting from the strategy is the pursuit of opportunities to participate in JEF+ activities, which supports non-NATO members participating in certain activities of the joint expeditionary force, JEF, on an ad hoc basis as long as no members of the group object. It was established in 2014 as a coalition of ten nations comprising high-readiness military preparedness to respond rapidly to crises. I believe this is something we should engage in and be part of. I anticipate, for example, that participation in JEF+ could enable personnel from our Naval Service to participate in training and exercises to learn and bring back best practice to Ireland and increase our ability to counter the maritime threats that we face.”
“This will include co-operating closely with our near neighbours, the UK and France, and beyond on new initiatives, exploring the opportunity for Ireland to host or partner in a regional cable-monitoring hub for the EU in the north Atlantic. This will build on the work being done, the programmes that we are already included in and the exchanges that are already taking place. It is about enhancing it and being more ambitious. From all of my EU and international engagements, it is quite evident that few if any countries can address the multitude of challenges facing them without some form of international collaboration.”
“The strategy and accompanying action plan provide a roadmap over the next five years to safeguard Ireland’s sovereign maritime interests, ensure safe and secure seas, and support international legal order in the maritime domain. It is important that we do that working in close co-operation with our European and international partners. That is a key focus of the strategy. My immediate ambition is on implementation and action, moving to deliver a new, whole-of-government approach to protect the security of our maritime domain, along with developing the concept of a national maritime security centre. A particularly important aspect of the strategy is to ensure that we co-operate with regional partners and international institutions.”
“The amendments proposed will do nothing to change Ireland's traditional position of military neutrality, which has always been characterised by Ireland's non-participation in military alliances. Our engagement overseas will continue to be firmly grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law and will, of course, require the consent of the democratically elected representatives of the people of Ireland. The national maritime security strategy, published this morning, is a significant initiative and the first strategy of its kind in this country. In the context of a challenging geopolitical landscape and given the considerable threats and risks currently faced by the country, the strategy concentrates on securing the maritime domain from threats related to national security and defence.”
“The extension of the UNIFIL mandate until the end of this year only happened because there was a compromise and engagement. It allows us to continue our deployment of Defence Forces personnel to the mission, but they must be withdrawn next year. When they are withdrawn next year, we will have 85 Defence Forces personnel on missions across the globe and in Brussels contributing to other types of missions. We cannot allow that to continue in this way. We need to ensure that our international peacekeeping missions can continue. We want to be very much part of new missions as they arise. There are ongoing missions that we currently cannot be part of. We have a proud tradition of peacekeeping and we want to ensure that continues. I want to make it absolutely clear that the Government has no desire to alter our policy of military neutrality.”
“The legislation currently in place allows any of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, by means of a veto or, indeed, threat of veto, to bind this country's hands in its international peacekeeping engagement. We should not and cannot tolerate that. Recent vetoes by a UN Security Council member on a proposed resolution for a full and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza last June and September, as well as the challenges evidenced last summer with regard to the extension of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, are ample evidence of this. If the UNIFIL mandate had gone to a vote last year and not been extended, we would have had to plan to withdraw our Defence Forces personnel from UNIFIL immediately following the expiration of the mandate.”
“Another key priority for me is the defence (amendment) Bill, which aims at revising how we deploy our Defence Forces overseas. I expect to bring the Bill to Cabinet for approval as soon as possible following the conclusion of the drafting process and to subsequently progress it through the Houses. I will look for support from colleagues in that regard. The Bill will also make amendments to the Defence Acts to provide for the suspension, in certain circumstances, of a member of the Defence Forces, as well as associated matters. When we talk about the cultural reform piece, it is extremely important that there be better structures in place to be able to put a member on suspension if they are going through a criminal process. With regard to the triple lock provisions, it is time to face facts.”