Irish troops should be part of new Lebanon mission, McEntee says

Irish troops should be deployed to Lebanon as part of a new European Union mission and should take on both peacekeeping and peace enforcement duties, Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Helen McEntee, has said. She made the comments as the current UN Interim Force in Lebanon mission moves towards its end date later this year. The Defence Forces are due to withdraw by Easter, according to the minister.

Speaking on a radio programme, Ms McEntee said she wanted Irish troops to remain on the ground and continue working with colleagues in Lebanon. She said the aim was to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and to preserve Ireland's overseas military presence. A new EU mission to replace UNIFIL was approved by EU foreign ministers last month, but she said Ireland would not be able to take part unless the Triple Lock system is reformed.

Ms McEntee said it was likely Irish troops would be involved in both peacekeeping and peace enforcement. She said that was already the case, rejecting any suggestion that the Defence Forces were operating in only one context. She also said she did not intend to rush the legislation, but wanted the reform completed by the end of the year.

The minister said representatives of commissioned officers had been clear about the need for Defence Forces members to have opportunities to serve overseas. The comments come at a sensitive moment for Ireland's role in Lebanon, where its troops have been part of UN peacekeeping operations for years. The planned transition away from UNIFIL raises questions about what form any new mission will take and what legal basis would allow Irish participation.

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The debate over the Triple Lock is central to that question because it affects whether Irish troops can be deployed without a United Nations mandate. Ms McEntee said she intended to travel to the Irish peacekeeping headquarters in southern Lebanon, known as UNP 2-45, where she planned to present medals to soldiers in recognition of their contribution. She is also due to meet her Lebanese counterpart in Beirut and speak with aid agencies working with people displaced from southern Lebanon.

Those meetings suggest the government is trying to balance military, diplomatic and humanitarian concerns as the situation develops. What remains unclear is how quickly the legislation can pass through parliament and whether the reform will be in place before the current mission ends. It is also not yet clear what exact mandate the new EU mission will have, or how many Irish troops could be involved.

The next key developments will be the progress of the Triple Lock legislation and the outcome of Ms McEntee's meetings in Lebanon.

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