President Mary McAleese yesterday sent Christmas greetings to members of the Defence Forces and An Garda Síochána serving with the United Nations in Lebanon and Liberia.
Nearly 200 family members of personnel serving overseas attended a reception hosted by the President at Áras an Uachtaráin which was broadcast to Lebanon and Liberia by Defence Forces technicians.
The President and family members sent greetings to the soldiers and gardaí in both countries via a live video link, and also sang Christmas carols.
"The peoples of Lebanon and Liberia need your help and so you have left family and friends and put your lives and skills at the service of these two troubled nations. Your families sorely miss you, and you miss them, and it is always much worse at Christmas. Your vocation as soldiers or gardaí serving overseas makes serious demands of you and of your families.
"Your country is grateful to all of you, to those serving abroad, to the spouses and partners, the sons and daughters, the mothers and fathers left to cope at home," said Mrs McAleese.
