Dan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Trócaire delegation. I am sorry I was not present earlier but I have had an opportunity to read the presentation. I do not wish to repeat anything that has been said. Last year, a delegation from this committee visited Jordan, Palestine and Israel and looked at the situation. One of the concerns, apart from all those in relation to the Palestinian issue - not least the reaction of the areas we visited - was the pressures that arose in Jordan due to the number of refugees arriving there with high level skills who are now competing with the Jordanian people for career opportunities.

I felt there was a situation of rising tension there at the time. Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon are under the same pressures from the number of refugees pouring into them. I know there is some hope developing in the area. However, when we were there, all the information was that it would take at least ten years for any type of resolution to emanate from the conflict that exists. The worry was that these countries would begin to change their attitude towards the refugees because, if the situation continues over the predicted period, a lot of social difficulties will develop for the refugees in the countries they have travelled to. What is the up-to-date information on that issue? While it was not very serious when we there, it was developing. How will it be in five, six or seven years time? How can this be planned for by the UN and the NGOs involved in the area?