Helen McEntee has said that her planned visit to Lebanon was cancelled following advice from the Defence Forces.
Ms McEntee had been scheduled to meet Irish peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), but the trip was called off after military guidance indicated it was “not tenable”, reports RTE.
“I’m completely guided by them. They know exactly what they’re doing on the ground,” Ms McEntee told RTÉ’s Today with David McCullagh, reports RTE.
She explained that the Lebanon visit had been arranged to align with her trip to Ukraine earlier this week.
The minister emphasised that the safety and wellbeing of peacekeepers is her top priority, saying: “I don’t want to be going out putting them at risk”, reports RTE.
She also strongly condemned any attacks on UNIFIL personnel, stating they remain committed to their mission.
The comments come after a Polish soldier in Ireland’s joint battalion with Poland suffered minor injuries from a roadside device, while three Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in separate explosions, reports RTE.
In its latest update, the Defence Forces confirmed that all Irish personnel in Lebanon are safe and accounted for, despite escalating clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.
Yesterday, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said: “I can confirm that all our personnel across these three UN missions in the Middle East, are well and accounted for; amid ongoing tensions in the region”, reports RTE.
“Any developments that may affect their safety are monitored in real time and appropriate actions are taken”, reports RTE.
Minister McEntee said that simply condemning attacks on peacekeepers is insufficient.
“We will be writing again to the deputy secretary of UNIFIL that there has to be accountability.
“It’s not enough to condemn attacks, it’s not enough to condemn people firing directly at UNIFIL peacekeepers who are there for a reason with a very clear international mandate.
“There has to be accountability so we’ll be writing to directly UNIFIL to make sure that when this investigation is done there has to be accountability, this can’t continue,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms McEntee added that the final planned rotation of peacekeepers before the mission concludes later this year will proceed.
However, she said the Government has confidence in UNIFIL’s contingency planning, reports RTE.
“There will be a rotation of troops later on next month and that is intended to continue,
But, of course, the most important thing is that we trust our troops on the ground, and we trust UNIFIL HQ to have the contingency plans in place should they need to implement them,” Ms McEntee said, reports RTE.
The cancellation of the minister’s trip also created an opportunity for the Defence Forces to carry out its first personnel rotation in a conflict zone using its new “strategic reach” capability.
Last Friday, the Defence Forces confirmed it successfully transported key battalion members to Camp Shamrock in Lebanon and returned communications specialists who had completed critical work, reports RTE.
The mission involved an Air Corps pilot flying into what was described as a volatile region, coordinating with army personnel who travelled in an armoured convoy from the UN post to Beirut Airport.
This marked the first use of the Air Corps’ strategic reach capability following the delivery of a C295 transport aircraft last year, reports RTE.
The Defence Forces said the operation became necessary after a civilian flight provider cancelled a scheduled rotation due to safety concerns in Beirut’s airspace.
As a result, essential personnel, including medical staff and communications specialists, had been unable to rotate out as planned, reports RTE.
Typically, the Defence Forces rely on commercial or chartered flights for overseas rotations, but using their own aircraft requires complex arrangements, including securing airport slots and diplomatic clearances.
Following the cancellation of the minister’s trip, previously arranged clearances and slots were repurposed to carry out the mission, reports RTE.
Over several days, teams assessed risks, obtained approval, and successfully executed the flight.
According to the Defence Forces’ director of operations and plans, the mission demonstrated the enhanced flexibility provided by the C295 aircraft, reports RTE.
Colonel Denis Hanly described it as a “force multiplier” and said it proves similar operations can be conducted again.
The mission required continuous risk assessment, technical oversight, and coordination between multiple units, including military intelligence.
A total of 26 personnel travelled into Lebanon carrying around 600kg of supplies, while 17 personnel returned, reports RTE.
The group included pilots, air crew, and a medic on each leg of the journey.
They also rotated chaplains, retrieved communications teams, and carried out a medical evacuation.
The operation took place amid ongoing combat activity in southern Lebanon, with airstrikes visible near Beirut shortly before landing, reports RTE.
Troops from Camp Shamrock travelled in heavily armoured Mowag vehicles to the airport ahead of the aircraft’s arrival.
Colonel Hanly said: “We wanted a Ryanair turnover – as quickly as possible, no hugs or high fives”, reports RTE.
The exchange of personnel and equipment was completed in just 30 minutes, with the possibility of even faster turnaround times.
The return convoy to Camp Shamrock took nearly four hours—almost twice the usual duration due to heightened risks in the المنطقة, reports RTE.
Colonel Hanly said there was a sense of “calm confidence” throughout the mission.
He added that the operation has enabled the Defence Forces to refresh leadership, maintain key capabilities, and return vehicles used by UNIFIL peacekeepers to service, reports RTE.
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