Irish Minister Simon Harris during a visit to Yarze, at the Ministry of Defense, in Lebanon, on March 26, 2025. (Credit: X / @SimonHarrisTD)
Ireland will continue its contribution to the U.N. Humanitarian Fund for Lebanon with an additional €2.5 million, announced Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defense Simon Harris on Wednesday, during his visit to Beirut.
This contribution to the fund managed by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) adds to the €5.8 million allocated for the year 2024 by Dublin, which was one of the top five contributors. In 2024, $80.4 million was collected for Lebanon through this fund. In 2025, according to data available on the OCHA website, three countries have so far donated to Beirut: Australia, Switzerland, and Canada, for a total amount of $4.93 million. This fund aims to support the most vulnerable communities in Lebanon, and a call for donations was made following the escalation of the Israeli offensive on the country in Sept. 2024, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
In Jan. 2025, the UN and the Lebanese government had launched a new appeal for donations of $371.4 million to address the urgent humanitarian needs of the population.
Lebanon between 'challenge and hope'
"I am pleased today to announce, on behalf of the Irish people, the granting of additional funding of €2.5 million to the United Nations Humanitarian Fund in Lebanon. I hope that this contribution will make a real difference and concretely support the people of this great country," announced Harris from Bustros Palace, after a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Joe Raggi.
"We wish to be present today to witness our support and solidarity with your work. I know that you assumed your duties during a time full of challenges, but it is also a time of hope for the Lebanese people," added the Irish official, nearly two months after the formation of Nawaf Salam's cabinet. "We hope that essential decisions and reforms will be made," he said. In a message posted on X after his meeting with Raggi, Harris wrote about "discussing ongoing developments in the Middle East and how Ireland can best support Lebanon and the region in achieving peace."
Raggi thanked Harris and expressed his gratitude for the Irish assistance and Dublin's contribution to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The murder of the Irish peacekeeper
"We remain fully committed to supporting the UNIFIL mission and maintaining peace in Lebanon," added the Irish minister, noting that the Irish contingent of UNIFIL includes 339 peacekeepers.
In this context, Harris met with Defense Minister Michel Menassa on Wednesday morning, according to a post on his X account. During this meeting, he expressed "concern over the lack of progress" in the case of the murder of Irish peacekeeper Sean Rooney, who was killed during a patrol in southern Lebanon in December 2022. On X, Harris indicated that he handed over a "formal letter calling for justice to be served for the murder of soldier Sean Rooney" to the Lebanese foreign minister.
This peacekeeper was in a vehicle of the international force that was attacked near the village of Aaqibiyieh. Hezbollah later handed over to the authorities Mohammad Ayad, a party member suspected of being the main perpetrator of the attack. Several months later, Ayad and four other fugitives were charged with "voluntary manslaughter." However, Ayad was released on bail on Nov. 9, 2023, after being questioned twice. According to the same source, the military justice has "no evidence" that he killed the soldier. Yet, in Lebanon, this court is often accused of collusion with Hezbollah. Consistent sources then told L'Orient-Le Jour that this release is officially linked to the detainee's health condition and that the investigation should continue normally. Ayad reportedly paid a bail of 1 billion and 200 million Lebanese pounds, equivalent to nearly $13,500.