86. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Defence for a report on the recent meeting with the French Minister Delegate to the Armed Forces, Alice Rufo. [33111/26]

Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD, met with French Minister Delegate to the Armed Forces, Alice Rufo, on 29 April, for discussions focused on Ireland’s forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, UN peacekeeping and the role of UNIFIL, and Franco-Irish cooperation.

Minister Byrne express his, and the Government of Ireland’s condolences, to Minister Rufo, on the recent deaths of two French peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL, and expressed dismay, at the recent casualties among Indonesian peacekeepers, while reiterating Ireland’s strong commitment to UNIFIL and to Lebanon.

Minister Byrne and Minister Delegate Rufo exchanged views on the deteriorating international security situation, in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Lebanon. Their discussion on UNIFIL focused on the safety and security of peacekeepers, serving in Southern Lebanon, and on supporting peace and stability in the region more generally.

On EU Presidency priorities, Minister Byrne confirmed that security will be one of the three central pillars of Ireland’s EU Presidency, taking place in the second half of 2026, and reaffirmed Ireland’s strong support for EU initiatives to strengthen defence resilience.

The Irish and French Ministers welcomed the progress being made in bilateral discussions regarding military procurement and the strong and deepening defence relationship between Ireland and France. Both Ministers agreed to continue close coordination at EU and international level.

Finally, both Ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to enhanced EU security and defence cooperation, including maritime security, support for Ukraine, cyber and disinformation, and collaboration ahead of Ireland’s forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU.