Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses and am sorry for having missed the presentations. I am grateful that the committee has convened this meeting to consider the humanitarian impact of the crisis. I have a specific question that has been asked of me by families, and I am particularly concerned about the impact of the crisis on children. My understanding now is that there are more than 1 million children displaced, with child labour common as families need children to work to eke out survival. Going into a cold and wet winter, education and health is way down the agenda.

Is there merit in the suggestion of some Irish families that the Irish Government could arrange for short-term fostering of Syrian refugee children by Irish host families until the condition in the homeland improves? That would only happen with the consent of Syrian parents. I see some merit in that. If there was a willingness to pursue this, we could consider the possibility of Ireland leading a European-wide initiative. There would be a cap on numbers as children would have educational and health-related needs, and families would have to be vetted. The process would have to be done right.

Families are in crisis in Syria and the solutions are complex and not obvious. These children may be in these conditions for another year or more. The people working with the organisations before us today work on the ground and may be in a position to help select children, for example, if families are willing for them to go. We have defence personnel who can help with logistics and movement, and although we are in a recession, we have public services that could be stretched, within reasonable limits. I am keen to hear the response.