Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for expressing his personal views. I thank everyone for being here for just over four hours. I particularly thank the two ambassadors for coming. Credit is due to both of them for accepting our invitation. I also thank them for being present for the full meeting. They listened to each other, which is very important. I also thank the other members of the diplomatic corps who came.

This has been an important meeting, from which we can learn a lot. Members now have a better understanding of the situation as viewed from both sides. We have a clearer picture which will assist us in our work programme in the coming months in the context of dealing with this very serious problem. Like everyone else, I hope we can move forward and be positive. Sometimes we look back at the past too much; we need to move forward. If a solution was easy to find, it would have been settled many years ago. The issue is complex and full of challenges, not least the many other difficulties in the Middle East. As the two ambassadors said, the rise of ISIS is extremely worrying for all of us and is an issue which the committee will discuss further at future meetings.

I hope we can keep in touch with the two ambassadors who have been very forthcoming, which is appreciated. They have been honest, open and frank in giving their side of the story, which is what this is all about.

I thank members for their co-operation. We have had a very constructive meeting and they asked very pertinent and straight questions. We have learned a lot today.