MISSIONS

Ireland's involvement with UN Peace Keeping Missions is a long and proud one. In June of 1958 the Irish Government received a request from the United Nations Secretary-General to supply military personnel for for a mission in Lebanon. This first mission was to be an unarmed observer mission. The Irish Government of the day agreed to the request and our country saw the foundation stones being laid for many more missions to follow.

This First Mission was called UNOGIL (United Nations Observer Group In Lebanon), and was set up under UN Security Council Resolution 128 (1958). The purpose of this mission was to ensure that there was no illegal infiltration by personnel, or transportation of Arms or other materials across the border into Lebanon. This operation remains one of the few UN Missions NOT to suffer any fatalities. The mission was located primarily along the Lebanese/Syrian border.

The location of Missions has been wide and varied. Ranging from Africa to Asia and from Central America to Europe itself.

To date Ireland has supplied Troops to dozens of different UN missions. Probably the best known of these are the Congo (ONUC July 1960 - June 1964) and UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon 1978 - Present) Currently Irish troops are serving 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year all around the world. Ireland is rightly PROUD of the contribution the Irish Defence Forces have made towards World Peace.

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