President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to members of the Irish Defence Forces overseas in his final Christmas message ahead of his term of office ending in November next year.
In his 14th and final message as President in Arás an Uachtaráin at Christmas, President Higgins also drew special attention to the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.
Tensions between Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Israeli Defence Forces in recent months has focused attention on the role of Irish troops serving with the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL.
In October, Camp Shamrock, where hundreds of Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon are based, was struck by a rocket.
President Higgins praised…