Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is a matter we can certainly examine. In regard to the humanitarian response in Syria, the UN-devised humanitarian response plans require a total of $6.5 billion for their operation in 2014. This represents the largest humanitarian appeal in the UN's history. The international community has responded by pledging a further $2.3 billion in funding. In the six weeks since the second Kuwait pledging conference, $768 million has been provided by the international community, which corresponds to one third of the amount pledged. Ireland has respected all of the pledges we made to date and we are one of the most significant donors on a per capita basis. We are doing all we can to ensure other states follow our example in meeting their commitments in full and without delay so that the response can be scaled up to meet the enormous need for assistance.

I am aware of the report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on opium production in Afghanistan, which estimated a worrying increase of up to 36% in poppy cultivation. The EU is currently devising a new partnership strategy for our engagement in Afghanistan after 2014 as part of an overall regional and international effort to support that country in its transition to democracy, with an emphasis on human rights and rule of law. The transition to a healthy economic model will help it to move away from dependence on drug production. The new EU strategy also aims to assist the Afghan Government in creating alternative livelihoods for those Afghans who are currently engaged in poppy production.

The European Council of Ministers approved the arms trade treaty yesterday and the way is now clear for Ireland to deposit its instrument of ratification, which we plan to do later in March.