The Taoiseach will raise the case of Private Seán Rooney and insist that there must be accountability for his killing – when he meets the Lebanese Prime Minister in Beirut today.

Michéal Martin will also send a message of thanks to Irish peacekeepers serving in Lebanon during the Christmas holidays.

In July, Lebanon’s military court found six people guilty of involvement in the death of Private Rooney, who was in an armoured vehicle which came under fire while travelling to Beirut on 14 December 2022.

The main defendant in the case, Mohammad Ayyad, was sentenced to death. However, he was not in court, and in the aftermath of the case Mr Martin said it was “unsatisfactory” that he was still “at large”.

He also said many people would feel that the sentences passed down on the other defendants were “far too lenient”.

Today, in Beirut, the Taoiseach will hold discussions with the country’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam during which he is expected to raise his concerns directly.

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Speaking in advance of the meeting he said Private Seán Rooney gave his life in the cause of peace while serving in Lebanon in 2022.

“I will raise this case during my meeting with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and will make it clear to him that there must be accountability for Private Rooney’s killing.”

He is also likely to seek an update on the investigation into an attack on Irish peacekeepers two weeks ago while in South Lebanon. They came under fire while on patrol in their area of operations.

Six people were arrested in connection with that attack.

The Taoiseach said he will also discuss bilateral and regional issues, including how Ireland can best support Lebanon when the UNIFIL mission winds down in the coming years.

Mr Martin will also meet with peacekeepers serving with the UN in Lebanon, to wish them the best ahead of Christmas.

More than 300 members of the Irish Defence Forces are stationed in Lebanon as part of a UNIFIL mission to monitor activity, support the local population and to assist the Lebanese armed forces.

Part of their mission includes holding ground and monitoring incursions across the Blue Line – which is the de-facto border between Israel and Lebanon.

Since last year, when Israel invaded Lebanon, the Israeli Defence Forces have maintained a presence in Lebanon, including a position on high ground close to an Irish manned outpost on the Blue Line.

In December next year the UNIFIL mission in South Lebanon will come to an end, and Irish soldiers along with the rest of their UN counterparts will withdraw from the country.

The future for Lebanon afterwards remains highly uncertain, with many fearing that Israel and the Iranian backed Lebanon militia force Hezbollah could resume hostilities.