Hundreds of Irish peacekeepers are preparing to travel to south Lebanon as the conflict in the region between Hezbollah and Israel continues.
However, all Irish currently stationed there remain safe.
The 125th Infantry Battalion will rotate into the mission area in the coming weeks to relieve the Irish troops who have been serving in the region amid mounting tensions and attacks.
Among the 381 soldiers deploying to Unifil are father and son Sergeant Major Patrick Enfield and Private Adam Enfield.
“It’s a great privilege that my own son would take up a career in the Defence Forces. It’s a great feeling,” said Sergeant Major Enfield, who has been in the Defence Forces for 34 years.
His son said he is looking forward to the challenge of his first deployment abroad, telling reporters at Athlone’s Custume Barracks: “It’s something I signed up for and if I’m homesick, I’m there with my Dad — as well as him being the boss and Sergeant Major.”
Lieutenant Colonel Shane Rockett who will lead the battalion on its six-month mission said he has “concerns” for his troops, which will be his “paramount concern out there”.
“We have a job to do when we go over there, in line with UN Security Council resolution 1701, we intend to do that.
“We know our job is to monitor and support the local Lebanese forces, and we’re going to do that,” he said.
He said procedures have changed to take into account the increased tensions in the region.
“We try and have a normal Christmas Day as as much as we can normalise it. There are care packages that are sent out from Ireland, our families actually prepare them and we’re handing them in this week.
“Nobody knows what’s in these care packages, but they’ll be open on Christmas Day, and that’ll be a little gift for everyone in the battalion.
“We’ll have our Christmas dinner all going well, and depending on the operational situation out there, and we’ll have a Mass on the day of it as well, which will help people. We try and keep it as normal as possible,” he said.
“Peacekeeping is the most noble endeavor, and we have a very proud tradition of peacekeeping across the world, which the our Defence Forces have excelled in. We will do everything we possibly can, and are prioritising force protection.
“We have invested very significantly over the last year in terms of Camp Shamrock itself, and in terms of the outposts, and in terms of ensuring that protection is the number one priority.
“At another level, at diplomatic and political level, we are doing everything we possibly can with others to get a ceasefire.”