Simon Harris holds calls with EU and UN over Unifil mandate
Simon Harris held discussions with EU and UN counterparts on Friday in a bid to secure a continuation of the mission ahead of the renewal of its mandate at the end of August.
He held separate calls with UN under secretary general for peace operations Jean Pierre LaCroix, foreign minister of Italy Antonio Taranji, and foreign minister of Lebanon Youssef Raggi.
Speaking afterwards, the Tánaiste said: 'Since 1978, participation in Unifil has been a key demonstration of Ireland's commitment to international peacekeeping.
'I remain exceptionally proud of the Defence Forces members serving in Unifil and the contribution they make every day.
'It is clear to me, including through my visit in March this year, that Unifil continues to play a vital role in ensuring stability and security.
He added: 'Ireland remains committed to supporting peace and stability in Lebanon including through the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the renewal of Unifil's mandate in the coming weeks.'
In the call with Mr Rajji, Mr Harris also discussed the ongoing trial of those accused of killing Private Sean Rooney in Lebanon in December 2022.
He said: 'I underscored the importance of ensuring accountability and justice in this case for the family of Private Rooney, the Government and people of Ireland.'
Mr Harris will hold further talks on the matter, including with the French foreign minister who is leading the bid to secure the renewal of the mandate.
Poland has also said it believes the mission must continue for the stability and security of the region.
Mr Harris told Cabinet this week that the Unifil mission is vital for retention and morale of Irish troops, as well as Ireland's 'unwavering commitment to international peace and security'.
Read More
Delays to infrastructure projects are damaging job prospects – Taoiseach
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
23 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Why we have a monument to the Duke of Wellington in Tipperary
At the highest point of the Grange Crag Loop in County Tipperary, walkers may be surprised to discover an odd-to-behold structure whose purpose appears to defy rational explanation. To uncover the story of why it was constructed, we must transport ourselves back to the end of the 18th century and a turbulent time in Irish history. Having survived centuries of rebellion and conflict, the Protestant Ascendancy were, at this time, feeling somewhat secure. Having enjoyed 80 years of relative peace, they now felt comfortable enough to assert themselves. Surfing a huge wave of popular enthusiasm and supported by the threat of violence if his demands were not met, Henry Grattan, leader of the Irish Patriot Party, secured an Independent Irish parliament in 1782. Kilcooley House One of his strongest supporters was William Barker of Kilcooley House, County Tipperary. A Whig (Liberal) MP, he also favoured the emancipation of Catholics from penal laws and some easements were immediately granted by the new legislature. This led to fears in Britain that allowing full voting rights for Catholics would create a hostile parliament in Ireland. Then came the French Revolution and the abolition of the hereditary aristocracy in France, with many of its members executed or forced to flee. Drawing upon the egalitarian ideas of revolutionary France, the radical United Irishmen soon espoused a similar idea: a republic where there would be no inherited privilege. The subsequent 1798 rebellion, which was supported by a French invasion of Ireland and had atrocities committed by both sides, shook the Irish aristocracy to its core. With an understandable human desire to keep their heads attached to their bodies, the ascendancy classes were now looking to Britain for safety. If this meant reestablishing a parliamentary union with Britain, it seemed a small price to pay. Forced to flee to England during the 1798 Rebellion, it is perhaps unsurprising that Sir William Barker changed his mind and voted for the perceived security afforded by an Act of Union with Britain. The Wellington Monument in Phoenix Park The fear remained, however, that Napoleon would invade Ireland and create a Catholic state for a Catholic people. Doubtless, a sigh of relief was emitted by the Protestant Ascendancy when 'The Little General' was defeated by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. Monuments to the Duke were built by the much-relieved Irish aristocracy in Dublin's Phoenix Park; in Trim, County Meath; and by Sir William Barker at Grange, County Tipperary. The Wellington Monument, Grange. Picture: John G O'Dwyer To access this Tipperary monument, start from the carpark at the entrance to the Grange Crag Loop, located about six kilometres south of Urlingford. Follow the woodland tracks to reach an incongruous-looking building that once served as the deep freeze for Kilcooley House. Blocks of ice were cut from frozen ponds and transported to what was known as the icehouse, where they were stacked between layers of straw to create a microclimate where food would be preserved. Next, continue to a three-way junction where the arrows lead right. Ascend to another junction, where a sharp left joins a forestry road that ascends for about a kilometre to an intersection where the way is right. View of magnificently carved doorway in south transept at Kilcooly Abbey, County Tipperary. /taken from Ancient Ireland: Exploring Irish Historic Monuments by Tarquin Blake and Fiona Reilly, published by The Collins Press, 2013 Soon after, a track on the left takes you steeply uphill to reach the aforementioned Wellington Monument. Such edifices are generally referred to as follies, but mostly they served a purpose. Not only does this monument commemorate the Duke of Wellington, it also provides a focal point to draw people to a high point where they would be impressed by fine views of the Kilcooley Estate and the nearby Cistercian monastery. A daughter house of Holycross Abbey, it was built on land granted by Donal Mór O'Brien, the last king of Munster but was later dissolved following the English Reformation. Its extensive estates then passed to the Earls of Ormonde until purchased later by the Barker family. Nearby, but almost obscured among woodlands, the great house at Kilcooley was first built in the late 18th century. Now in a sad state of decay, the present-day Palladian mansion dates from 1843 and was constructed after a great fire in 1839 destroyed the original structure. This conflagration began when a butler, who had been dismissed from his employment by the then-owner of Kilcooley, William Barker Ponsonby, set one of the chimneys alight — so the old saying "always keep the butler onside" seems appropriate here. Walkers on Grange Crag Loop. Picture: John G O'Dwyer Soon, the views are obscured when you enter mature broadleaf woodland and swing right to descend by a stream and exit onto a track. Continue (left) following green and purple arrows along the woodland track for almost one kilometre. Follow the walking arrows sharply right and then take the next left, which allows you re-join your outward route after an outing of about two hours. Afterwards, as an added treat, quench your thirst in the old-world charm of Hogan's pub, Grange village.
RTÉ News
23 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Is this EU-US trade deal a good one for Ireland?
Yesterday the EU and US reached agreement on a framework deal that ends months of uncertainty and avoids a full-blown trade war between the two blocs. While there is still a lot to be ironed out, there's a decent level of detail that has been announced. What's included in the deal? It introduces a 15% import tariff on most EU goods being exported to the US, which is half the 30% rate US President Donald Trump had threatened. This baseline tariff will apply across the board, including for Europe's crucial car manufacturing sector, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors. However, there will be no tariffs on aircraft and their components, some chemicals and generic drugs, certain agricultural products, and critical raw materials. As part of the agreement, the EU has also committed to buying around €640 billion worth of US energy products over the next three years. This will largely involve purchases of US liquefied natural gas (LNG), oil and nuclear fuels. While Brussels has also said it will spend at least €515 billion on American military equipment. It's unlikely the deal will go much beyond those sectors in terms of what the EU agrees to buy from the US. For example, it's not expected the EU will have to commit to allowing in and buying more US beef as part of the broader agreement. What are we still not sure about? Some important elements of this trade deal still have to be thrashed out, such as what it will mean for the EU's dairy and spirits sector. Dairy and especially spirits, make up a huge chunk of Ireland's near €2 billion in annual food and drink exports to the US, so from an Irish perspective clarity in this area will be crucial. Essentially, we don't know yet for example if Irish whiskey exports to America will be subject to a 15% tariff. If so, that will have significant financial implications for the many distilleries here that rely heavily on the US market. Some sectors are also calling for clarity on whether exports going from Northern Ireland (NI) to the US will be treated differently to Republic of Ireland (ROI) exports to the US. America and the UK agreed a trade deal in May that included a baseline 10% tariff on many goods exported to the US, and this agreement includes goods being exported from NI. However, the dairy industry has pointed out that it operates on an "all island basis" with integrated supply chains and cross-border trade in raw milk, ingredients, and finished products. It says that any divergence in tariff treatment between NI and ROI (for example 10% for NI and 15% for ROI) could create huge issues and added cost for processors and farmers. Who pays the tariff? This means American-based companies will have to pay an extra 15% in tax to the US government on any goods they buy from the EU. These companies can either choose to absorb some or all of the cost of this extra 15% themselves, get discounts from the EU supplier they are buying from to cover the increase, or add the cost onto the price of the product, which would mean US consumers end up paying more. Ultimately though, the Irish and EU companies selling into the US will likely take a hit with this deal. US firms buying their goods may look for discounted prices to cover the new tariff rate, while if their products end up being more expensive in US shops then sales could drop if American consumers decide they are too expensive. So, while EU companies will be impacted financially by the new tariffs, it's worth noting consumers here will not have to pay any more as a result. They would only need to start worrying about higher prices if the EU implemented reciprocal tariffs on US goods. But that's far more unlikely now we have a deal. Is this a good deal for Ireland and the EU? It depends on your perspective. Right away, it takes the threat of an escalating trade war off the table. This adds a degree of certainty for EU businesses that hasn't been there for months. While they were hoping for no tariffs, there was a lingering threat of 30% tariffs - which is now gone. And while there is now a 15% tariff, at least they can makes plans in a more stable economic environment. That's what proponents of the deal are brings much-needed certainty. There are obvious benefits for the bloc's carmakers. Before this agreement there was a 27.5% tariff on cars being exported from the EU to the US, which will drop by 12.5.%. The US has a €200 billion trade deficit with the EU (meaning America buys a lot more from the EU than the other way around). EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accepted that deficit needs to be cut. "We have to rebalance it," she said. However, not everyone in the EU is happy. Eurosceptic Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán said: "Donald Trump ate Von der Leyen for breakfast." French minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad said the deal is "unbalanced". Critics such as Haddad point out the EU is accepting a 15% tariff, while not placing a tariff on US goods entering the single market, and hasn't leveraged the scale and power of the single market as much as it could have in negotiations. But the dealmakers in Brussels will say the EU had much more to lose if there was no deal, given how much the bloc sells to the US, and that it's worth making compromises to protect more than €1.6 trillion in EU-US trade every year. What happens next? Over the next few weeks, European Commission and American officials will flesh out the agreement made yesterday. This is when we'll get more specifics on the spirits sector and issues around NI/ROI exports to the US for example. Then EU member states will have to approve the deal, which could come into effect before the end of the summer.
The Irish Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Harrowing moment desperate Gazans overrun food trucks as Israel challenges UN to ship in more aid after pausing fighting
THIS is the harrowing moment starving Palestinian people overrun food trucks carrying aid into Gaza as the humanitarian crisis grows. Israel challenged the United Nations on Sunday to carry out its pledge to 9 This is the harrowing moment starving Palestinian people overrun food trucks carrying aid Credit: X 9 Massive crowds were seen trying to reach aid Credit: X 9 Six-year-old Yusuf Abdurrahman Matar and his four-year-old brother Emir Abdurrahman Matar face life-threatening malnutrition amid the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza Credit: Getty Distressing footage shared by Turkish news site TRT shows a sea of starving Gazans desperately climbing onto vehicles to reach food. Some individuals appear to manage to grab boxes of aid, while other malnourished people seem to scramble to safety due to the heaving crowds. Israel is facing condemnation from international aid groups as well as governments due to the deepening humanitarian crisis. Aid groups warned that Palestinians are on the brink of famine, with one in five children suffering from malnutrition. read more news The UN warned that civilians in the besieged enclave are becoming "walking corpses". But prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that his country isn't employing starvation as a cynical tactic. He also denied that starvation was occurring at all in Gaza - despite harrowing footage of aid sites being overrun, images of emaciated children, and local authorities reporting deaths from malnutrition. Netanyahu told a conference in in Jerusalem: "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza and there is no starvation in Gaza." Most read in The US Sun Israel has previously . Following two months of restricting UN aid convoys in favour of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the IDF said "humanitarian pauses" in fighting were being implemented to let in more UN aid. Watch hundreds of brave Gazans cry 'Hamas OUT' as rare peace protests against terror regime's war with Israel erupt They also said "secure routes to enable the safe passage of UN and humanitarian aid organisation convoys delivering and distributing food and medicine to the population across the Gaza Strip" had been set up. Three Jordanian and Emirati supply planes were also permitted to drop aid into the starving strip, but the quantity delivered of 25 tonnes is said to be tiny compared to what the UN can deliver on the ground. The World Food Programme (WFP) said 60 trucks of aid had been dispatched - but this amount fell short of Gaza's needs. WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa , and Eastern Europe, Samer AbdelJaber said: "Sixty is definitely not enough. So our target at the moment, every day is to get 100 trucks into Gaza." The Programme explained how almost 470,000 people in Gaza are enduring famine-like conditions, with 90,000 women and children in need of specialist nutrition treatments. Netanyahu said, making it unclear whether the lifting of restrictions on UN convoys came due to mounting international pressure: "Whichever path we choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies. "There are secured convoys. There have been all along, but today it is official. There will be no more excuses." On Monday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 14 people had died in the past 24 hours of starvation and malnutrition, bringing the war's death toll from hunger to 147, including 89 children. Last week, more than 100 aid agencies warned that mass starvation was spreading across the Palestinian enclave. 9 Palestinians wait to receive food from a charity kitchen, amid a hunger crisis, in Gaza City Credit: Reuters 9 Palestinians, who lost their relatives in Israeli attacks, mourn as the deceased are being brought to Nasser Hospital in Gaza's Khan Yunis Credit: Getty 9 Palestinians wait to receive food from a charity kitchen, amid a hunger crisis, in Gaza City, July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khamis Al-Rifi Credit: Reuters The military also said Saturday that it had connected a power line to a desalination plant, expected to supply daily water needs for about 900,000 Gazan people. Israel's foreign ministry said the military would "apply a 'humanitarian pause' in civilian centres and in humanitarian corridors" on Sunday morning. The announcement came after indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and Hamas were broken off with no deal in sight. The UN said that humanitarian pauses in Gaza would allow "the scale up of humanitarian assistance". The Israeli military stressed that despite the humanitarian steps , "combat operations have not ceased" in the Gaza Strip. in the face of global ceasefire pleas and huge protests in Tel Aviv. 9 A boy cries as he tries to receive food 9 Trucks carrying aid enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing today Credit: Getty 9 Smoke rises after Israeli warplanes bombed buildings in a residential area Credit: AFP
