Tánaiste Simon Harris has said his visit to Irish troops in south Lebanon was an opportunity to say "thank you" to the peacekeepers who found themselves in "a very very difficult situation" in recent months as war ripped through the region.
He said the Government and the Irish people have a "great sense of pride" in the difference the blue helmets have made there, and he wanted to congratulate them for their "public and military service in the cause of peace".
The Tánaiste said he raised the case of Private Seán Rooney, who was shot dead in southern Lebanon in December 2022, with the Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Defence.
He said he had been assured that they were taking this matter "extraordinarily seriously".
Mr Harris said the Government and the people of Ireland, are "deeply dissatisfied" with the outcome of the military court to date and said the Lebanese authorities need to ensure justice is delivered.
He said he knew the ongoing delay, in which only one of the seven men indicted has been before the court, is adding "to the unbearable pain" faced by the Rooney family and also the wider Defence Forces family.
He said that he was struck by the seriousness of the new Lebanese government, and their commitments to act on the Rooney case were given "in good faith."
He described Lebanon as a "beautiful country" but added you had to visit to understand "the scale of the devastation" in the south which he described as "horrifying."
"What I can absolutely understand, at a human level, is the anger anyone would experience when they return to their village or town and see the devastation." he said.
He said Ireland was "in it for the long haul" when it came to rebuilding southern Lebanon.
Earlier, Mr Harris met the Lebanese Foreign Minister Yousseff Rajji in Beirut and expressed the Government's "frustrations and concerns" in a letter given to the minister.
The Tánaiste said the family of Private Rooney intend to travel to Lebanon for the next hearing in September.
He said: "It is my hope they will see some real evidence of an intention by the authorities to see justice being served, including the attendance of the defendants and that they will not be disappointed by further procedural delays."
A positive and warm meeting with Lebanon's Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning in Beirut.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 26, 2025
We discussed ongoing developments in the Middle East and how Ireland can best support Lebanon and the region towards peace. pic.twitter.com/0boFz7jHyz
Of the seven men indicted on the murder change, only one has appeared before the military court over five hearings, and he was not present at that last hearing due to ill health.
In his letter the Tánaiste noted: "No medical evidence was provided supporting his absence."
Private Rooney was shot dead in December 2022 near the coastal town of Al-Aqbiya while on UN duty.
"Sean Rooney deserves justice and his family deserves answers," Mr Harris said.
The Tánaiste said: "My Government has repeatedly stressed the need for accountability [for] attacks on peacekeepers and the need for justice to be served."
He concluded by expressing his gratitude to the Lebanese authorities for their ongoing assistance.
At the meetings, Mr Harris reaffirmed Ireland's "unwavering commitment to the UNIFIL [peacekeeping] mission and to Lebanon's security and stability".
The political meetings in Beirut come just weeks after a new government was formed in Lebanon following a two-year political deadlock.
Mr Harris also announced €2.5m in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon to the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund, which he said is a "key partner for Ireland and a vital part of our humanitarian response in Lebanon.
An honour to visit Lebanon today to thank the member and women of @defenceforces for their incredible work for the cause of piece and to be briefed directly on the situation in the region and see first hand the environment in which are troops serve. pic.twitter.com/Rmm0zK3XGp
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 26, 2025
"The Fund has proven itself in recent years to be highly responsive to the critical needs of those most in need in Lebanon including vulnerable Lebanese, Syrian refugees and others."
The Tánaiste visited Irish peacekeeping troops in Lebanon, including those serving with the 125th Infantry Battalion serving with UNIFIL.
As well as saying that the Irish public feel a "great sense of pride" in the work that our peacekeepers do, Mr Harris will also announce a doubling of funding to €80,000 for Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) projects.
Examples of these include the likes of community and health facilities, workshops and education classes for children.
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