I wish to take Questions Nos. 28 and 89 together.
The killing of Corporal Peter Ward while serving with UNIFIL in South Lebanon on 29 September was an appalling and deplorable act. It is tragic that he should have been killed in the course of carrying out his peace-keeping duties and in a statement that day, I expressed my deep sympathy to Mrs. Ward and her children on the occasion of their terrible loss.
Irish military personnel make a vital contribution to the United Nations effort to maintain peace and security in South Lebanon. I pay tribute to their courage and dedication, and the exemplary standards they bring to the performance of their immensely difficult and sensitive task there.
The circumstances surrounding Corporal Ward's death were explained to the House by my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, on 7 October. A UN board of inquiry into the incident has been established but has yet to report and it remains to be determined which group or elements perpetrated the killing.