The United Nations peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights says it is working to re-establish its presence in the zone of separation between Israel and Syria.
The Syrian civil war forced the troops to abandon as many as 20 posts in that area and in Syria, and they monitor the ceasefire from the Israeli side.
Irish officers say on one day last week there were 87 artillery attacks.
The civil war in Syria is much closer to the Irish troops than they might have expected when they were posted on UN peacekeeping duty to the Golan Heights.
The exchanges of mortar and artillery fire can be heard from Camp Ziouani where the 48th infantry are now based.
The troops cannot intervene in the civil war; their job is to watch and report violations of the ceasefire between Syria and Israel but this is becoming increasingly difficult.
There is not supposed to be any military activity in the zone of separation between the two countries but there is.
However, the Irish and other troops cannot do anything about these violations because of their mandate.
The civil war forced the UN to abandon their posts and work from the Israeli side.
But the commander there insists they are planning to re-establish the UN's presence in the zone and that when they do go back, they will stay.
