President Michael D Higgins has praised the work of Irish peacekeepers around the world.
He was speaking in south Lebanon, where he is meeting 180 personnel from the 47th Infantry serving with UNIFIL as part of a joint Finnish/Irish battalion.
The President said Ireland has a proud moral heritage based on its peacekeeping record.
The battalion has responsibility for some of the most rugged terrain on the border between Lebanon and Israel.
In his day-long itinerary, President Higgins is also meeting local leaders from the area.
The president praises work of peacekeepers-says Irish has a proud moral heritage based on our record abroad pic.twitter.com/cKdlALk4QW
— ddp (@theddp) April 28, 2015Tibnin monument to 47 peacekeepers who died on UN service pic.twitter.com/aTUHHLcO1A
— ddp (@theddp) April 28, 2015He was also due to lay a wreath at a monument honouring the 47 Irish soldiers killed on UNIFIL operations in the region.
Earlier, there was a family moment for the President and Mrs Higgins when they met their son, who is a film-maker on assignment in south Lebanon.
