The Government has committed to paying for “family reunion flights” for Irish soldiers serving in Lebanon amid an increasingly tense security situation in the region.
Under the new policy, each soldiers can avail of one free return flight to Ireland per Unifil peacekeeping tour to allow them take their holidays with their family.
This will apply when it is considered too dangerous for soldiers to take their leave in the theatre of operations. It will also be available for soldiers serving on other overseas missions.
However, it will likely be some time before Irish soldiers in Lebanon can avail of the flights. A month on from Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, Unifil outposts effectively remain on lockdown with troops largely confined to base.
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On Wednesday, a rocket struck Camp Shamrock, the Irish Unifil headquarters in the south of the country. There were no injuries.
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin announced the new policy in Custume Barracks in Athlone, Co Westmeath as he reviewed the 125th Infantry Brigade which is due to take over from the almost 300 Irish troops currently serving in Lebanon.
The rotation will take place sometime around the middle of November but only if the security situation allows it. Over the last month, all troop movements in the Unifil area of operations have been suspended.
Speaking to troops, Mr Martin said he has approved a package of health and safety protections for military activities including “the provision of one return commercial home-reunion flight to Ireland in respect of an operational tour of duty of six months, where the security assessment by the military authorities determines that the individual cannot avail of leave in-theatre.”
He said the policy will be implemented by the end of the year.
State funded family reunion flights have been a key demand of the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (Raco).
The Tánaiste told family members who gathered for the event in Athlone, that their loved ones “are well trained, well prepared and well equipped for this deployment.”
“They are trained to navigate complex situations with professionalism and compassion. They are equipped with the skills and equipment to protect themselves and others, and their commitment to peacekeeping is a testament to their character and dedication to the values that we all hold dear.”
There have been about 30 attacks on Unifil bases in the last month, including seven deliberate attacks by the Israel Defense Forces, a spokesman for the peacekeeping mission said.
“I’m proud he’s heading over. It’s a very important job they’re doing over there,” said Declan Heraty, father of Máirtin, who at 19 years old, is the youngest soldier on the outgoing deployment.
“It’s what he wants to do. You worry about him every day in your life. This is no different really,” said his mother Noreen.
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