Helen McEntee, Ireland's Minister for Defence and for Foreign Affairs and Trade, offered a statement on the situation in the Middle East and the Irish Government's response in the Dáil on Thursday, March 5.
"The current military operations by the United States and Israel have no mandate or authorization from the United Nations. Nor has any attempt been made to seek such an authorisation," McEntee said on Thursday.
"Ireland’s position on the use of force outside such a context is well-established and known.
"Ireland’s position is equally clear that all states must abide by international law and the principles of the UN Charter."
The Irish Examiner reports that while speaking with journalists outside the Dáil on Thursday, McEntee declined to answer whether she believed the US and Israeli attacks on Iran had breached international law.
On Saturday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the military strikes by the US and Israel against Iran, as well as the subsequent attacks by Iran "violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Elsewhere on Thursday, McEntee participated in an Extraordinary virtual meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, who were joined by the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
McEntee said she welcomed the opportunity to speak with them, adding: "I have spoken with a number of them in recent days to express Ireland’s sympathy and solidarity following Iran’s unacceptable and indiscriminate military strikes against Gulf countries."
She continued: "These attacks are deeply concerning. These countries are home to large Irish communities. They have not attacked Iran. We have seen attacks on airports, residential buildings and energy infrastructure in Gulf countries. These are violations of international law. I call on Iran immediately to halt its attacks."
McEntee said she emphasized during the meeting that "the goal must be to quickly end this conflict and de-escalate the situation."
Minister @HMcEntee today spoke with EU Foreign Ministers and Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Read more here: https://t.co/DesqsVBsJb pic.twitter.com/pxt8D4nBgl
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) March 5, 2026
McEntee said in the Dail on Thursday that there are approximately 24,000 Irish citizens across the region that have registered their presence on the Citizen’s Registration Platform – with more than 16,000 of these registering for the first time since the weekend.
She said she and her team were working toward the first chartered flight for Irish citizens to leave the region on Friday from Oman.
In a video shared on social media on Thursday, McEntee said: "I appreciate the longer this goes on, the more difficult and distressing it is for those who are trying to get home, and can I assure you at the outset that we are doing everything we possibly can to ensure more direct flights to Dublin, that more people can get on commercial flights, but also we will have our first chartered flight leaving tomorrow [Friday] from Oman."
McEntee encouraged Irish citizens who want to leave the region to contact the consular crisis number in Dublin at +353 1 4082000.
Encouraging citizens who have queries or wish to travel home to contact the Consular Crisis team on +353 1 4082000.
Citizens in the region are encouraged to register their presence at: https://t.co/cs1SXSmu4Q
— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) March 5, 2026
Please note that this is not a register of those who want to leave. pic.twitter.com/oFUkC2uA4T
Just before 11 pm on Wednesday, the first commercial flight from Dubai to Dublin in almost five days - Emirates flight EK163 - arrived at Dublin Airport with more than 368 passengers on board.
They’re home!
The first flight from Dubai in almost 5 days - @emirates EK163 - arrived into Dublin Airport just before 11pm, bringing more than 368 passengers back to Ireland. pic.twitter.com/lMIKtwMtSx
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 4, 2026
While there were emotional reunions in the arrivals hall, some shared with RTE News their criticism of the Embassy's handling of the situation, as well as the fact that many of the flight's passengers were transiting on to locations outside Ireland:
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