The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, today reviewed the 67th Infantry Group, who will shortly deploy to the Golan Heights as part of the United Nations’ Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
The Tánaiste was accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, and the Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Defence, Bernie Maguire.
Addressing the 130-strong contingent in Finner Camp, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, the Tánaiste said “the tradition you are upholding as United Nations’ peacekeepers is driven by the very values and principles that have guided the actions of our state on the international stage ever since independence – a commitment to multilateralism and to the values of peace, international security, and global justice.”
Recalling the death of Private Seán Rooney of Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, who was killed in Lebanon last December, the Tánaiste said “UN Peacekeeping is not without danger. Seán’s death was a shocking reminder of the risks taken by each and every one of you, in discharging your duty and maintaining our country’s proud record and reputation in the service of peace.”
The Tánaiste warmly welcomed the families of the members of the 67th Infantry Group, acknowledging that “participation in peace support missions comes at a personal cost for individuals who must be away from families and friends for extended periods of time in unfamiliar and difficult environments.”
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