Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the guests and, through them as representatives of their organisations, I compliment the staff and colleagues working in difficult circumstances. The witnesses' contributions have outlined the serious and frightening humanitarian disaster in Syria and the adjoining regions. Mr. Ros O'Sullivan mentioned that we want to get away from the emphasis on chemical weapons and the political end of it and towards the humanitarian issue. Mr. Barry Andrews highlighted the emphasis the Oireachtas and this committee put on the humanitarian needs of the region. This is a committee in a small Parliament but, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the European Union Council of Ministers, the Tánaiste assures us he raises the humanitarian aspect of the particular difficulties on an ongoing basis. I fully accept that. I am glad the Government has allocated €13.8 million to date in humanitarian assistance. It is needed.

The figures supplied to us in a briefing show the vast majority of the funding has gone through the United Nations structures. A much smaller quantum has gone to organisations like those represented by the witnesses. I presume the United Nations organisations are hampered in getting much-needed humanitarian aid to the areas held by rebels. I presume the UN must respect the mandate of the Assad regime. That concerns me greatly. From my limited knowledge, there are substantial areas under rebel control and a huge number of people are losing their lives and are in absolute distress. Perhaps one of the witnesses can address the issue.

At this committee and during Oral Questions in the Dáil, I have welcomed the contribution of the Irish Government on behalf of the Irish taxpayer. Do we need a refocus on the disbursement of funds and whether they are getting to the people most in need? We have all raised the issue at this committee.

The UN Security Council has been ineffective in trying to address this very serious difficulty. Mr. Barry Andrews mentioned that this is the humanitarian issue of our generation. Sadly, the situation has deteriorated since he last spoke to us, a few months ago, in respect of the number of people losing their lives and those displaced internally and to neighbouring areas. The UN Security Council has five permanent members and my understanding is that the five permanent members have a veto. It is a 16 member council with a rotating membership. It was established after the Second World War and the architecture of the United Nations has not changed in the meantime. The needs of so many people and regions have not been addressed. In the countries that hold permanent membership, is there any sense that the ineffective working of the UN Security Council must be addressed?

We know that the European Union has been the best contributor and donor to the humanitarian aid programme. Other countries have made major pledges that have not been honoured. Through sister organisations, can the witnesses find a forum or forums to highlight the absolute need for the countries, many of whom are large powers, to honour their pledges to people in distressing situations? I compliment the witnesses and their organisations on working in extremely difficult areas.