Tánaiste takes part in an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on the situation in Lebanon

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, will take part in an extraordinary videoconference meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on the situation in Lebanon today (30 September). Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Tánaiste said:

“The Middle East stands on a precipice following the surge in violence in Lebanon. A wider conflict would be disastrous. We need to act now to avert this. I therefore welcome the decision by HRVP Borrell to convene an extraordinary meeting of EU Foreign Ministers today.

“I call on all sides to immediately de-escalate and support efforts to reach a ceasefire. This must be the priority now.

“We urgently need to scale up humanitarian assistance to the people of Lebanon, who have already suffered so much and are bearing the brunt of the latest violence. I announced last week that Ireland will contribute an additional €1 million in humanitarian assistance to Lebanon.

“I welcome the decision last week to extend EU support to the Lebanese Armed Forces to improve its medical and engineering capabilities. I look forward to discussing how the EU can further support strengthening the LAF.

“Our strong advice to Irish citizens in Lebanon is that they should leave immediately by commercial means while it is still possible to do so. We are in regular contact with Irish citizens and have undertaken significant contingency planning with international partners to prepare for a possible consular crisis in Lebanon. Today’s meeting will offer an opportunity to further coordinate efforts with our EU partners.

“I continue to be briefed regularly by the Chief of Staff on the ongoing situation in the UNIFIL areas of operations. Irish personnel serving in UNIFIL are currently safe and accounted for and shelter in secured positions as and when required.”