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The Taoiseach meets with soldiers stationed in Lebanon

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is today in Lebanon to visit Irish Defence Forces troops stationed there. 

Defence Minister Simon Coveney and Minister of State Paul Kehoe are also in Lebanon. The visit took them to the Headquarters of the Finnish/ Irish battalion UNP 2-45. On arrival, the Taoiseach inspected a guard of honour by the 51 Infantry Group before being briefed on the scale and complexities of the operation by Head of Mission and Force Commander UNIFIL, Major General Luciano Portolano. 

The Taoiseach meets with people from the local area including Tibnin

The Taoiseach told the troops they were very special people and that he and the Irish people greatly admired what they do. He also paid tribute to their families back home for the sacrifices they too make. He concluded that the troops make us 'proud to be Irish'

While in Lebanon, the Taoiseach and Ministers Coveney and Kehoe met with people from the local area including Tibnin. The Defence Forces have been heavily involved in local humanitarian activities for many years. Most of the funding for projects in this regard is though Irish Aid. 

The Taoiseach meets Lebanese Prime Minister Mr Tammam Salam

The Taoiseach also met with Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam. They discussed bi-lateral relations between their two countries, the crisis in Syria and the broader Middle East

The Taoiseach continues his visit tomorrow with a visit to the Golan Heights.