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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Sarah Barrett

Government to consider sending Irish soldiers to help train Ukrainian forces in neighbouring country

Ireland is expected to continue to provide support to Ukraine through training personnel as one way we can help, according to the Tánaiste Micheal Martin.

It is believed the Irish troops would provide training in demining to Ukrainian forces in a neighbouring country, such as Poland and Germany, according to RTÉ.

Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin described a plan as "quite modest".

Read next: Ireland cost of living payments LIVE as Government reveals social welfare boosts and other help

Speaking to reporters outside government buildings, Mr Martin said that "Ireland has consistently since the war began provided non-lethal support" to Ukraine and that "training is part of that".

Mr Martin added: "We are quite concerned about unexplored bombs and ordinances across Ukraine and therefore there are certain areas that, if we can be of assistance, we will, on the training side,"

Cabinet will on Tuesday consider the proposal to approve the deployment of up to 30 Army personnel to the EU’s Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM), according to the report in The Irish Times.

Ireland has previously made contributions to EU-led military training missions, most recently in Mali.

It will be the first time it has made a contribution to training a team engaged in a war against another country.

The training is expected to take place in Poland and Germany.

Alongside the training, Ireland has provided €77 million in aid through the European Peace Facility which is being used to fund the purchase of non-lethal military equipment for Ukrainian forces, including fuel, body armour and medical supplies, reportedly says the Irish Times.

The Cabinet will also hear an update from Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman on the first annual report on the implementation of the Mother and Baby Home Survivor Action Plan.

The bill has been strongly criticised by survivors' groups, who say it unfairly excludes children who spent less than six months in an institution and is creating division among survivors.

On Monday’s episode of RTÉ Liveline, several survivors who were mothers and children who had been adopted from a Mother and Baby home, featured on the show discussing the Mother and Baby Homes redress scheme.

The scheme means any child who was resident for under 6 months in a Mother and Baby home will not qualify for a payment, or relatives of any woman who died before the state’s public apology in January 2021, will not qualify to claim on behalf of the women.

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