Taoiseach Micheal Martin has confirmed drones buzzed a Naval Service ship during Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Ireland – and backed sailors’ decision not to shoot them down.
“We have to trust in operational decision making and I support the approach of the Defence Forces on this,” Mr Martin said on Saturday – while visiting 360 Irish UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
There has been criticism of the decision by the crew of LE William Butler Yeats not to shoot down the drones when they loitered over the ship for around an hour off the east coast shortly after Mr Zelenskyy’s jet landed at Dublin Airport on an official visit on December 1 – but Mr Martin dismissed that.
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“Absolutely, I am,” he told The Mirror when we asked him if he was supporting the decision not to open fire.
He also said he and Tánaiste Simon Harris received a full briefing on Wednesday on the affair from Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Rossa Mulcahy and Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly.
He said: “I had a very detailed briefing with the Tanaiste and other ministers on Wednesday morning, a very detailed briefing on the drone incident.
“The operational response from our personnel there which in my view correct decisions were taken. There is an investigation underway.
“An Garda Siochana are now formally investigating that. I had a detailed briefing from the chief and his team and from the Garda Commissioner.”
But he also insisted the drones posed no danger to any civilians – and said that the visit of Mr Zelenskyy had been a security success.
Lt-Gen Mulcahy also praised the actions of the crew of the LE William Butler Yeats during the incident that made headlines around the world.
He said: “I can confirm that there were a number of drones in the vicinity of the ship at the time.
“The actions of the crew by de-escalating rather than escalating the situation were absolutely prudent and right at the time.
“We know that the visit of President Zelenskyy had already landed at that time and the crew made a correct and timely decision to de-escalate the situation and not to use any force.
“I just want to put that one the record and commend the actions of the crew.”
Meanwhile, Mr Martin met the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut on Saturday morning – to demand justice for slain Irish peacekeeper Sean Rooney.
Private Rooney, 24, was gunned down by Hezbollah member Mohammad Ayyad in southern Lebanon in December 2022 – but remains free.
That is despite a Lebanese military court sentencing him to death – and handing out smaller sentences to others involved in the murder.
Speaking at Ireland’s Camp Shamrock in southern Lebanon where Pte Rooney was based and where the Irish soldiers are currently risking their lives in the name of peace, Mr Martin said he told the Lebanese leader there needed to be real accountability for the murder.
When asked what that meant, he said: “It means the people responsible for the death of Sean Rooney are brought to justice, to proper justice.”
He added: “The sentencing was extremely lenient and the people are at large.
“It is deeply, deeply unacceptable and unsatisfactory
“I met earlier with the Prime Minister (Nawaf) Salam and spoke to him on a number of issues.
“I also raised the case of Private Sean Rooney. I spoke to him about our very significant concerns and indeed annoyance and anger at the very slow pace of the criminal justice system from the time of Sean Rooney’s death to the court decisions and reaffirmed the centrality of the peacekeeper. It is the most noble role anyone can play.
“The necessity for accountability and responsibility has to be centre stage.
“To be fair, this new government has appealed the decisions in the court. He took on board what I said and is particularly focused on it.”
Irish troops have been in Lebanon since 1978 but that looks set to come to an end in early 2027 when the mandate for the UNIFIL mission comes to an end – and Mr Martin said he wanted our soldiers to serve elsewhere in the name of peace.
And that, he said, could mean a mission to Ukraine – if there was a peace deal.
He said: “We stand ready to contribute to peacekeeping wherever there is a requirement.
“We have indicated and it depends on outcomes and natures of settlements and so on but if there was a peace settlement in Ukraine or if there was a peace monitoring or peacekeeping role that is something that we would consider and we are open to that…but strictly within the peacekeeping and peace monitoring context.
“We will assess situations and we will obviously take military advice on that too.
“We will assess various situations around the world. Irish troops will always contribute to peacekeeping.”
Among the soldiers of the 127th Infantry Battalion was Private Adam Rooney, 21, from Cork.
He is on his first overseas mission – but both his parents have previously served in Lebanon.
He said: “This is my first deployment. Both my parents deployed as well, so it is a great honour for me to carry the flag and keep the tradition going.
“Growing up, hearing all the stories and memories that they made, I am very proud to be out here now and to make my own memories and my own stories to tell. It’s lovely.”
And he said he was loving the mission.
He added: “I kind of knew from a young age this was what I wanted to do – it’s an honour to be able to be out here at 21 and say I have done it.”
He also said he believed it was easier for his parents back in Ireland knowing they had served in Lebanon as well.
“It’s obviously not easy on family being away, especially for Christmas, but my mam at home, she was out here at Christmas as well, so she kind of knows what is going on.
“Obviously it’s still not easy, but it’s easier for her.”
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