Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegation for its presentation. I agree about the destabilising effect this is likely to have. Apart from being a huge humanitarian crisis and a disaster for the people of Iraq and Syria, it is destabilising for the West as well. Even the International Monetary Fund, IMF, figures this morning specifically refer to the effect it is likely to have on growth throughout the world, which of course will have an effect on those who depend on aid and would hope to get aid from us.

I watched an episode of "Reeling in the Years" earlier this week and it showed footage from the first Iraq war. It was quite horrendous but now, nearly 25 years later, I am sure they would almost wish to have Saddam Hussein back as things have been so terrible for them. Now we see what is happening in Syria. I agree about a political solution, and the Minister has said the same, but the problem is with whom one can have a solution. It is Hobson's choice on the ground.

The bombing is not working. Military people who know about these matters say that one can stop them with bombs but one cannot secure the area unless one puts people in on the ground. That was done in Iraq but 25 years later it has not worked. On one side is Bashar al-Assad, who we thought was a monster. We had great hopes for the Arab Spring rising but now we are bombing the very people we thought were going to deliver gender equality and the like. Knowing what to do is a huge political difficulty for the West, even with regard to small matters. Obviously the humanitarian crisis is huge and needs money. However, when there is limited money does one divert money from the millennium development goals, MDG, programmes or what does one do? The world is facing a huge crisis due to the demands coming from everywhere, not just the Middle East, and also the worries about the conflict between the Ukraine and Russia.

On a point of detail, I am delighted that the witnesses recognised the vulnerability of the women and girls. When they say the crisis in Syria is causing this, is the problem in Syria or is it in the refugee camps in Turkey as well?