Ireland would send peacekeepers to Ukraine if asked – Taoiseach

Micheál Martin laid a wreath at a memorial for 47 Irish Defence Forces soldiers who died serving in Lebanon. Picture: Neil Michael

Ireland would be ready to enter into any peacekeeping operation in Ukraine if asked, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

Speaking in Lebanon yesterday, he said that while Ireland will be helping rebuild the war-torn country after the war is over, it would also be ready to extend the role it played with UNIFIL in Lebanon for the past 44 years.

He said: “We always stand ready to play our role as peacekeepers when requested and when it's in the context of peacekeeping.” 

The Taoiseach was speaking after he laid a wreath in memory of 47 Irish troops who died serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon.

He was asked if he supported a “preliminary” suggestion – by Poland – that peacekeepers should be sent into Ukraine to help humanitarian operations and be strong enough of a force to withstand an attack by Russian forces.

Commentators on a variety of sides have met the suggestion with the same concerns that were raised when the idea of a NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine was forest mooted.

Concerns have been expressed about the potential for unintended consequences leading to a direct confrontation with Russia.

Mr Martin said: “There's a vicious, immoral war of terror on Ukrainian people and the Russian Federation has created the largest humanitarian crisis since World War Two.

“So what has to happen for us is the war has to end and we appeal and the international community is applying pressure to Russia to stop this terrible war.” 

Mr Martin was also asked about government spending on the Defence Forces.

He reiterated the fact that the government wants to increase spending on the Defence Forces to, in effect, increase its capacity to react to situations at home as well as abroad.

This could include the purchase of radar systems Ireland doesn’t have.

It could also lead to Ireland’s cyber security defences being boosted in addition to the Naval Service being increased in size.

He said: “We simply have to increase our defence spending.

“And of course, the war on Ukraine is a very strong reminder of the necessity to improve our defences.

It has exposed, in many respects, vulnerabilities in terms of the European continent and that is not lost in terms of the European Union.” 

Earlier in the day, Mr Martin laid a wreath at a memorial for 47 Irish Defence Forces soldiers who died serving in Lebanon.

The Taoiseach attended the event in the southern Lebanon town of Tibnin, where Irish UN peacekeepers used to be based.

He was flanked by the Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, and Nabil Fawaz, the Mayor of Tibnin.

Three wreaths were laid in memory of three soldiers who died in the month of May, Sergeant Charles Forrester, who died in 1989, Sergeant Edward Yeates, who died in 1980, and Private Billy Kedian, who died aged 21 in 1999.

The 21-year-old was the last Irish UNIFIL soldier to die in action.