Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Like other speakers, I welcome the fact that the Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello, has come up with the €3 million in support. The reference to 6.8 million people, half of whom are children, needing aid is staggering. Our contribution is a drop in the ocean. Is it helpful to talk about the fact that half of the aid budget promised was provided and that countries have not stepped up to the mark? Is it helpful to name and shame these countries? Does it matter if they have given a commitment and are not delivering on it? Recently, a BBC programme showed two doctors going to Syria. The countryside was desolation and bleak like a lunar landscape. I presume the witnesses have experienced it. The only aspect that does not come across on the television screen is the smell, the heat and the physical conditions in which people live. The programme showed the refugee camps and the kids who had been bombed with phosphorus. No proper medication is available. The medical supplies are not suitable for children. How can that be addressed? Anyone affected by seeing the programme could not walk away from the problem.

Mr. Ros O'Sullivan referred to the 1 million extra refugees in Lebanon. People in Ireland complain about an influx of refugees in Ireland when, last year, 700 people came to this country. It puts the figure in context. In Syria, there was a 10% increase in the population from the Iraq war. A certain amount of the population moved from Palestine. Generations have been moved because of war and they are now being moved again.

How do the witnesses deal with camps? Sometimes, this arises out of a sectarian conflict. How was this dealt with in camps? Are they divided along sectarian lines or are people lumped together? People need help and support in this respect. How safe is it? Witnesses referred to the corridor. How can we make the corridor safe? Are we talking about troops going in to make the humanitarian corridor safe? Are the witnesses hoping the different groups, including the government and opposition sides, will come to agreement in order that supplies and humanitarian aid can be delivered? How likely is that to happen? Do we need troops on the ground? If that happens, will the situation escalate?

How is safe water secured? With the growth of the refugee camps, problems arise with typhoid and cholera and children not receiving vaccinations. Camps are breeding grounds for disease as they get bigger. The BBC programme referred to a toilet drain going into the only water in the camp.

I thank the witnesses for the work they are doing. They are the heroes, in my eyes and in the eyes of many people, for risking life and limb to go into those conditions. They are saving lives and they are giving hope. We all hope some diplomatic initiative can be taken. The fact that there has been movement on chemical weapons may open up real dialogue. That is the only way forward. I thank the witnesses for attending this meeting.