Vol. 398 No. 4
28 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Defence if he has any plans to travel to any location where Irish Defence Forces personnel are engaged in active service overseas this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Minister of State at my Department recently visited Irish troops serving in the Middle East, including Lebanon and Cyprus. I regard such visits as important and a further visit will take place in due course.
The question relates to the Minister for Defence.
That is right: either-or.
With due respect, personnel in far-away lands like the Minister to visit them. Such visits boost the morale of the Forces.
Thank you very much.
Such a visit might do the Minister no harm either in the run up to November.
I thank the Deputy for his advice.
Would the Minister, having regard to the deep interest of the Deputy who tabled questions in Central American affairs and considering, too, the interest of The Workers' Party in developments in that part of the world, consider visiting the Irish troops serving with the United Nations corps now policing the implementation of the Esquipulas peace agreement in Central America to show his appreciation of the work being done there?
I will consider that and would like to reiterate what the Deputy has just said. I am aware from the numerous statements made, in particular following the recent visit in connection with the San Josè conference involving a number of Central and South American Governments, that the United Nations are doing excellent work in Central America in sorting out the frontier position there and that the Irish Army officer observers are making a major contribution in these efforts which have come close to settling what has been a very difficult situation for a number of years.
