It is “disingenuous” to say Ireland freeloads off other countries when Irish people need to be evacuated from warzones, Micheál Martin has claimed. 

Over the weekend, Israel launched strikes it described as “pre-emptive” against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in southern Lebanon.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has urged Irish citizens to leave the country and independent TD Cathal Berry has said he is concerned Ireland lacks the capacity to evacuate any citizens who get left behind. 

“In terms of international evacuation operations, Ireland is like the guy who goes for a night out with his friends, takes whatever he can get for free, and never buys a round," he said.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he was “very disappointed” to hear Deputy Berry’s characterisation of the situation. 

“I thought it was somewhat disingenuous, to be frank,” Minister Martin said. 

“I know Cathal well and Cathal contacts me a lot - he didn’t on this occasion.” 

Defence Forces Personnel outside the GPO for the 108th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. Image: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie

When asked if Deputy Berry had a point about Ireland’s reliance on other countries, Minister Martin said he strongly disagreed. 

“No, he hasn’t a point,” he said. 

“We’re members of the European Union, we work in concert with our European partners. 

“Bottom line is to get our citizens out in the most effective and safe way possible. 

“We’ve been doing a lot of preplanning, we set up our own evacuation teams in the Department of Foreign Affairs and worked with Department of Defence officials. 

“We’ve been working on this for the last number of months - Cathal would know this.”

'Very complex'

In 2022, the Government announced defence spending would rise from €1 billion annually to €1.5 billion by 2028. 

Despite the increase, Minister Martin admitted Ireland still has “challenges” when it comes to defence but it “takes time” to buy the equipment the military needs. 

He also said military equipment is not always useful when it comes to evacuating citizens. 

“The idea of aircraft, for example,” he said. 

“If a war happens in Lebanon, the airports are down first… that’s why we’re warning citizens to get out now while commercial options are available.

“The situation becomes very complex and we wouldn’t have the shipping assets on the scale required, for example. 

“So, we have to work with other countries.” 

Minister Martin also praised the evacuation of Irish citizens from war torn Sudan last year as “very successful and very effective”. 

Main image: Tánaiste Micheal Martin. Image: Alamy