TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS today said that the Government will fulfill a longstanding promise to establish an office of veterans’ affairs by the end of this year.
Speaking at McKee Barracks for Veterans’ Day today, Harris said that a memo will be brought to cabinet next month, and that the work of the office will commence “by the end of this year”.
It’s a move that Ireland’s official charity for veterans, Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann (ONE), has been advocating for for years.
Harris said that the office will “advocate for veterans, help to coordinate the delivery of services” and become a “one-stop shop for information” for ex-defence forces personnel in this country.
In Ireland veterans, including those who have served at home and abroad on various peacekeeping missions over the years, enjoy less statutory services than those offered to their counterparts in the UK and in other parts of the world.
Harris today said that it’s important as a country that we thank “the men and women who’ve served with distinction and honour here in Ireland and also across the world”.
He said he was thinking of those Irish troops currently deployed overseas, and the 88 members of the defence forces who “paid the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives whilst in service and peacekeeping overseas”.
The Tánaiste said that Irish peacekeepers are currently focused on their largest mission as part of the UNIFIL presence in Lebanon, which is due to end at the end of next year.
He said that troops there must be focused on assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces, and noted that Lebanon has a “real opportunity” for future stability now with the formation of a new Government.
Harris said that it is vital that the UNIFIL mission ending does not mean that the international community will now “turn its back” on the situation in Lebanon.
He also said that Ireland would be “eager” to be involved in a future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, but that it is “very difficult” to currently speak about peace in Ukraine after Russia launched an overnight drone offensive on Ukraine.
Harris said that Putin is continuing his “reign of terror” while the international community is trying to find solutions that will lead to a lasting and “enduring peace”.
He said that in his view increased sanctions on Russia are what is now needed.
The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces General Rossa Mulcahy agreed with Harris that there are certain “capabilities” that Ireland could provide in terms of a future peacekeeping presence in Ukraine, but that deployment would be a matter for “Government approval”.
Asked about the possibility of the Irish Defence Forces acquiring fighter jets, Harris said that that is a future prospect, and the current focus is on a radar programme, and other areas of investment.
