Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests. I express my admiration for the tremendous work done by the organisation they represent. We can only imagine what the people of Syria are experiencing. This places our own problems and difficulties with budgetary issues in perspective, particularly when one thinks of children living in camps, wheezing, burning wood to warm themselves and without access to electricity, when a very severe winter is approaching. A previous speaker inquired as to what the committee might do. Médecins Sans Frontières has issued a statement to the effect that it has not yet received authorisation from the authorities in Syria to work there in an official capacity. Has progress been made in this regard or is such authorisation likely to issue in the near future?

Reference was made to funding and the fact that, in the main, Médecins Sans Frontières only accepted funding from individuals. How adequate is the funding it is able to raise in covering its requirements in the current crisis? Would it have the necessary manpower on the ground to deliver additional services if extra funding was to become available? Will our guests indicate what we might do to best assist their organisation? Our Presidency of the European Union for the first six months of next year will I hope provide us with a platform to help the people of Syria and assist Médecins Sans Frontières in addressing some of the issues under discussion.

As Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan indicated, what is really remarkable is the lack of media coverage of this matter. Very few people in this country are aware of the horrific crisis and tremendous challenges with which the people in north-west Syria are trying to deal. As Christmas approaches, everyone here is spending a great deal of money on unnecessary things. We would all be well advised to consider where there is real poverty and where the real challenges are to be found in the world. We should pay particular attention to the plight of the people for whom Médecins Sans Frontières is trying to provide some hope.

When I heard MSF had its operating theatres underground in caves, I could not visualise the success rate one could have in such facilities. The fact that there is an inflatable facility is helping. Are the delegates satisfied with the facilities they have available? How can they hope to improve their circumstances?