TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS expressed “deep disappointment and dissatisfaction” at the slow progress of the legal proceedings into the death of Private Sean Rooney during a meeting with Lebanese counterparts.

Harris, who is Minister for Defence, Trade and Foreign Affairs, today met the Lebanese Minister for Defence, Michel Menassah, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yousseff Rajji.

The Tánaiste is undertaking a visit to Lebanon, where he is also visiting Irish peacekeepers who are serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

During these meetings, Harris said he made it clear that the continued delay in court proceedings causes “deep concern to myself, to the Irish Government, the family of Private Rooney and the Irish people”.

Private Rooney, from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed while serving in Lebanon when his UN peacekeeping convoy was attacked in 2022.

The shooting near the town of Al-Aqbiya in the south of Lebanon, a stronghold of Hezbollah, resulted in the death of Private Rooney while Trooper Shane Kearney, 22, was badly wounded.

A hearing scheduled for last month in Lebanon was postponed until September due to procedural issues.

This was on the basis that a summons to attend the proceedings had not been properly served on the main suspect in the case, Mohammad Ayyad. 

Harris noted that there have been five hearings of the military court to date, but no significant progress in the trial to date.

Harris expressed hope that there will be no further procedural delays and that the Irish government will continue to monitor developments very closely.

He added that the government has “consistently expressed determination that all of the facts and circumstances of the incident are fully established and that there is accountability for the death of Private Rooney”.

He also expressed hope that “with a newly established Government and court structures in Lebanon, progress will be made in bringing those responsible for the death of Private Rooney to justice.”

A new Lebanese Government was formed in January, which ended a two-year deadlock.

Meanwhile, Harris said he also expressed “deep concern” about the security situation in southern Lebanon during his meetings.

A number of locations in south Lebanon have suffered heavy Israeli bombing in response to rockets being fired into northern Israel over the weekend.

Hezbollah have denied they are responsible. 

A number of people were killed in the bombing – the strikes are across the area and within a few kilometres of the main Irish base at Camp Shamrock near At Tiri. 

The 125th Infantry Battalion, of which Irish peacekeepers are a part, is tasked with monitoring a separation line known as the Blue Line – a demarcation line dividing Lebanon from Israel.

Tensions are high in the area as many displaced people are returning home having fled the Israeli-Hezbollah war.

Speaking following the meetings with his Lebanese counterparts, Harris said he wanted to “reaffirm Ireland’s unwavering commitment to this vital mission and to Lebanon’s security and stability”.

He added that Ireland remains fully committed to the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which he described as essential for maintaining stability in South Lebanon, preventing hostilities, and supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty and security”.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, stipulated that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in south Lebanon.

-With additional reporting from Niall O’Connor in Lebanon