Simon Harris said the idea of having peacekeepers leaving soon would have been ‘wholly irresponsible’.

The former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Mark Mellett has warned that Lebanon could turn into Gaza if the Unifil peacekeeping forces do not remain in place.

A formal appeal over the leniency of the sentences of those indicted for the murder of Private Sean Rooney has been lodged, the Tanaiste has said.

Natasha Rooney said she wanted to express her family’s ‘extreme disappointment and heartbreak’ at recent court proceedings in Lebanon.

Micheal Martin was speaking after a man was given a death sentence in Lebanon over Private Sean Rooney’s death.

Seán Rooney died following an ambush near the town of Al-Aqbiya in the south of Lebanon.

Ireland remains committed to renewing the Unifil mission, the Tánaiste has said.

Fine Gael TD Catherine Callaghan has said the current debate over changes to Ireland’s triple lock needs to be grounded in facts and not misinformation

Sean Rooney, 24, from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal, was killed on December 14th, 2022.

The vehicle driven by Pte Rooney became separated from the other one and ended up in a town called Al-Aqbiyah where it came under gunfire and Pte Rooney was killed.

A formal ‘demarche’ has been served on the Israeli government through the UN.

Minister for Defence Simon Harris described the incident in southern Lebanon on Thursday as ‘reckless, intimidatory, totally unacceptable’.

Tasoieach Micheal Martin said the firing of rounds in the vicinity of UNIFIL positions in Lebanon is ‘completely unacceptable’.

The new body armour will provide ‘state-of-the-art protection’ to troops during their missions, the Tánaiste said.

Lieutenant-Colonel Shane Rockett, commander of the 125 Infantry Battalion at Camp Shamrock, said the situation is the worst he had seen.

It is Lieutenant General Seán Clancy’s last overseas trip in the role.

The Tánaiste raised the case of Private Seán Rooney in a meeting with ministers ahead of a visit to troops currently serving in Lebanon

Simon Harris is in Lebanon for a series of political engagements and to meet members of the 125th Infantry Battalion who are serving as part of a UN peacekeeping mission.

Simon Harris is visiting Lebanon this week against a backdrop of heightened tensions with Israel.

The coalition is bringing forward significant modifications to the standing orders of the Dáil.

The Taoiseach’s Questions slot in the Dáil was not ‘being used as well as the Opposition claims’, Micheál Martin said.

The Tánaiste is to visit Irish peacekeeping troops in the country.

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris will highlight Private Sean Rooney who was killed in the region in 2022.

Israel struck Lebanon in relation for a rocket attack

The trial of those indicted for the killing of an Irish soldier in Lebanon has been pushed back again

More than 200 members of the Irish Defence Forces returned home on Monday morning after six months serving with Unifil in southern Lebanon.

Private Sean Rooney was killed while serving in Lebanon when his UN peacekeeping convoy was attacked in 2022.

Antonio Guterres paid tribute to Private Sean Rooney in a letter to his mother.

A commanding officer of the peacekeeping battalion said that amid the escalating conflict in Lebanon, troops ‘will look after each other’.

A camp in southern Lebanon where Irish peacekeeping troops are based has been struck by a rocket, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has confirmed

Amena Hareb, who works for the Irish charity Trocaire, describes how she tries to stay hopeful for her children as her country is bombed.

Simon Harris met Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati at Government Buildings.

Simon Harris is in Brussels for a meeting of the European Council.

Simon Harris will also attend a meeting of the European Council during his visit to Brussels.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has raised “serious concern” with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog after Israeli forces fired on UN peacekeeping posts in southern Lebanon.

He is said to have pressed that “the security of Irish peacekeepers serving in the region is paramount”.

It comes as villages in south Lebanon and north Gaza have been told to evacuate by the Israeli military.

Simon Harris said he is ‘extraordinarily concerned’ about the escalating conflict in southern Lebanon.

Simon Harris is to call for an immediate ceasefire in the region at the European Council.

The Tánaiste called on the international community to pressure Israel to stop its recent activity along the border with Lebanon.

A Dublin coroner that she had not received a reply to date to a request she had sent to the UN on August 6th.

Irish Defence Forces are serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon amid heightened conflict in the region.

Simon Harris urged that any firing at United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) positions ceases