Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is very much on the agenda. As the Deputy will know, the broader issue underlying the migration we are now seeing is the significant state failings in countries like Syria and Libya. They are the consequence of many factors, over many years, which have now reached the point of significant conflict. I am not going to comment on the broader foreign policy actions taken by other countries, which is a subjective perspective that people would have. At my level, as Minister of State with special responsibility for European affairs and through attending the Foreign Affairs Council, we are aware there is a human crisis unfolding in the Mediterranean. We must support and show solidarity with the countries of the southern Mediterranean, in particular, which are trying to help and support people who are being trafficked, and also look at measures to deal in a robust fashion with the traffickers. The Senator spoke about the need for a long-term strategy of having in place states that can actively deal with their own populations and that do not arrive at a point where people are so fearful for their lives and their safety that they are willing to engage with traffickers to get themselves out of terrible conditions.

We will have to continue to work with the countries known as transit countries, and their neighbours. Many of the latter are themselves in dire economic situations and need support if they are to help in this regard.

I was asked a specific question about weapons and how conflicts commenced. We could talk about it in the context of the African continent and the Middle East but, with respect, it is a broad topic of deliberation that I do not propose to get into today.