It is not often that I compliment the Government. In light of the current crisis in the Middle East, however, I have to hand it to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence for organising to get an aircraft to Oman to bring people home. I appreciate that people will have to travel for many hours to get to that aircraft and that it will be difficult for those who are unwell to have to take a six- or eight-hour bus journey to Oman in order to get home. There are some green shoots with respect to flights. Some flights are getting out of Abu Dhabi and places like that, but they are very few and far between. I should be in Cyprus at a defence conference this week, but that country's airspace has been closed.

Given Israel's incursions into Lebanon, I have had some questions this morning, particularly from my hometown and that of the Leader, about the safety of Irish troops in Lebanon. Israel has issued instructions to people to vacate their properties in parts of Lebanon.

Senator Craughwell should be allowed to speak, without interruption.

I need people to know that those involved are professional soldiers and that they will be looked after. If they need to be pulled out, they will be.