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TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said that he is “deeply concerned” about the escalation of the Lebanon-based conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs this evening issued a statement on the situation in which he called for a ceasefire. More than 720 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict escalated on Monday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
Earlier today, Hezbollah confirmed Israeli military claims that the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah had been killed in an air strike.
“I am deeply concerned about the escalation of the conflict over the last 24 hours and the growing risk of regional conflict,” Martin said. “The people of Lebanon continue to pay a shocking and heavy price for the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.”
He called for all parties, including Iran, to de-escalate and “exercise maximum restraint” as he said support for efforts to reach a ceasefire was needed. He added that there was a need for an “immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza to allow humanitarian assistance”.
It is long past time for the violence and killing to stop.”
Martin said that the Department of Foreign Affairs, including through its embassy in Cairo, remains in regular contact with Irish citizens in Lebanon.
“Our strong advice is that they should leave immediately by commercial means while it is still possible to do so.
“Irish citizens in Lebanon who cannot leave, and who have not already done so, should register with the Embassy of Ireland in Cairo.”
Martin said that he is in regular contact with the Chief of Staff on the ongoing situation in the UNIFIL areas of operations, and said Irish personnel are all currently safe and accounted for.
The Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to work closely with EU, UK and other partners to exchange information and coordinate its consular response.
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Just like FF and FG . SF will not acknowledge the immigration problem and side with the natives .Irish people do not have a problem with people coming here to work and contribute to society . Irish people rightly do not want busloads of males been dumped into communities.This is wrong and SF would not acknowledge that in a meaningful way.
If you travel abroad to countries like Poland , you do not see tent cities , you don’t see freeloaders in their cities. Why? Because their government listened to and protected their people .
All SF had to do was acknowledge that perhaps , Irish people are right in their calls for something to be done that actually favours the people of Ireland and not the thousands of freeloaders we have currently milking the system.
Again, immigration wasn’t an issue to anyone other than the skin-triggered because the current govt who gave us your so called “immigration problem” have been comfortably re-elected, with anti-immigration parties getting decimated. Nobody has to pander to the far right now, they lost, FFG won.
@BL Music: sure if that’s the case then why are ff/fg getting seats everywhere
@9QRixo8H: The only party that got decimated is the pro Hamastinian and pro free immigration Shinners.
“Brits out – everyone else in” simply doesn’t wash with their former supporters.
There is no Right wing party in Ireland except by the definition of the Lazy Loony Left Layabouts.
@BL Music: How anyone could get a single thumbs up for such buncombe really is beyond me.
@Thomas Sheridan: SF haven’t done well but they’re the 3rd largest party, how many seats did your far-right anti-immigrant parties get? A whopping zero. Racists have no mandate.
@BL Music: funny how just SF suffered isn’t it, kind of utterly undermines your argument, if your assessment of the importance and impact of the “immigration problem” was correct we’d have had sways of the countless anti immigration candidates elected….. Guess what they bombed
@BL Music: can’t say that that’s racist, allowing people to enter the country without checking they’re backgrounds couldn’t possibly cause a problem. As our spanner himself roderic o gorman says we have a legal and moral obligation to house those entering the country. Obviously to whoever enters the country not what’s currently in it.
Saw this on twitter:
“The only Sinn Fein person having a good day today is probably Jonathan Dowdall in Portlaoise Prison, who’s stuck his house on the market for €800k.”
@honey badger: Also, from Twitter:
Sinn Fein spent €111,000 on Facebook advertising for this campaign. For 11%.
Actual LOL!
She needs to go, the whingeing old bag
@6gRrQtLn: no, leave her there, doing a great job
@Martin Kenny: valid point
@6gRrQtLn: and who is capable of replacing her
@Philip Murphy: Nigel Farage.
@Philip Murphy: no one should replace her, SF should be abolished all together, terrorists shouldn’t be allowed to run for government
She needs to realise politics isn’t conducted on social media.
In a post vote survey 30 percent plus people said they had had a visit from an FF/FG candidate. Only 18 percent had one from SF.
They need a new leader. She’s absolutely ruined them.
You’d have had my vote if Pierce Doherty was the leader.
He talks sense.
@Tom: you mean how he wants affordable housing for everyone, just not in his area?
SFs traditional vote bank has been working class communities that are most impacted by very local issues. When SF started courting Hamas sympathizers and being all fascinated with Palestine and any other trending topics that didn’t resonate with the local communities, they lost those votes.
@Kush OMeara: hari kari by sinn fein. Everyone could see that coming a mile away with the meely mouth re immigration and focus on palestine plus their referendum fcuk up. Mary Lou needs to go straight away and the party need to reorientate back to their core support , apologising on bended knee for betraying everyone.
@Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson: hand control back to ‘Belfast’
And she’s blaming the ‘current government’ for SF’s failure at the polls..whilst the ‘current government’ are running away with it; I’m confused..how does that work? The voting public have rejected SF’s programme for their ‘Change’..but I don’t think either ML or PD understand a 2-figure vote..
How is it that nobody can spell Pearse???? I do agree that marylou should go. She single handedly alienated the sf support. Thank you marylou!!!
@BL Music:
“Just like FF and FG . SF will not acknowledge the immigration problem and side with the natives”
FF and FG seem to be doing alright despite your allegation that they don’t “side with the natives”. By your own logic nobody would vote for FF, FG or SF due to the “males being dumped into communities”. Something does not add up as FG and FF have garnered plenty of votes.
Sadly i think Pierce Doherty needs to become leader . Very disappointed really thought people would vote for change . Not the same old boys club . Then again only half country voted these people same ones giving out.
@martin finnegan: The loudest complainers couldn’t be bothered to vote obviously!!
Let’s face it, FF/FG have been buying the locals votes for the last 12 months, money talks,every fiver extra,each lump some payment,each cost of living payment and every little increase & lots of handouts to communities across the country to white wash the crumbling buildings in the local squares.Brings all the locals to the schools to use their vote as a thank you to the government parties.Irish voters are always bought in the run up to elections, this will go on until the GE. It too will work then also as voters are always grateful for the few extra bob.Irish people love their money, whoever gives them more will have their hand shook.As long as donohue and mcgrath keep the handouts coming their almost guaranteed to be in government up to the beginning of the 2030s so get comfy everyone!.
@Wakeupkerrycoco Wakeupkerrycoco: Dream on dear boy!!!! People just saw straight through the sf mullarkey!!
@chris gaffney: Didn’t mention SF in my comment but yes I’d agree that people were not convinced by what SF have to offer anymore. Too slow to react to immigration and seemed to be having notions of grandeur before winning anything major.
My comment was about peoples votes being bought by government.
A poor display
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