Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for their attendance.

It is an important subject and I congratulate the Chairman on having the vision to have this discussion now.

I agree with the views expressed by my colleagues and our guests. Italy should not be expected to handle what is essentially a European problem. Every country has a responsibility, whether we like it and regardless of whether some countries have xenophobic tendencies, not for the first time over the course of history. This must be taken on board. Also, each country must focus on its own responsibilities, what it is expected to do in a humanitarian crisis and whether it should do nothing, wash its hands of the matter and opt out. That appears to be the case in some instances.

We must encourage our colleagues across Europe, but we must also show example. We must encourage our colleagues in Europe to recognise that people are in a desperate position, between the proverbial rock and a hard place. It is not only an economic problem but a true refugee problem. All of us as public representatives have dealt with refugees from these regions in the past ten to 20 years and some desperate cases have been brought to our attention. It would be really embarrassing if a humanitarian Europe were not to open its eyes and recognise that it has responsibilities in dealing with this issue.

I agree with Mr. Sutherland that a base must be established where there can be some order in the way this issue is tackled. People's lives are being put at risk as a result of being controlled and handled by traffickers who put them on the high seas. There is no attempt to deal with the issue other than to ensure the boats are taken from the traffickers or that no boats will be available in the future. That is a load of nonsense. It is irresponsible of European countries to even think in that fashion. We all have an obligation which must be spread across Europe and it must be met in the short rather than the longer term. Enough discussions have taken place.

Reference has been made to those countries that are reluctant to accept what they consider to be economic immigrants. They never speak about the advantage of having extra people in their countries. It is something they should consider. Every country has benefited in one way or another from an influx of people. There are different age profiles and so forth. In particular, in the case of women from countries that obviously have bad human rights records who land in Europe, it should be natural to assume that they come with good reason. They are afraid to remain in these countries where their quality of life is appalling. They may not have been directly and daily under threat, but they can certainly see a threat to their families in the future and know what they have lived through themselves. Some of the things they have lived through are not repeatable, as we know from what they have told us. We must focus on these issues.

I am also concerned about euroscepticism and the role eurosceptics are playing in the xenophobic theme that is emerging. It is dangerous and Europe must address it. As the Chairman knows, we have discussed this issue previously and intend to deal with it in a report to the committee. It is related to this subject. If Europe does not address it, with each country in Europe taking on its own respective share of responsibilities, the Europe we envisaged and the Europe we saw evolve in the past 65 years or so will disappear. If that happens, there will be consequences and they will not be nice.

We should never be surprised when people wish to improve their way of life. I recall meeting an American congressman who was very traditional and had the idea of building a wall at the border to keep out certain nationalities to the south of the United States. A group of us tried to explain to him that one could not do this. If there is a high standard of living on one side of a barrier, be it visible or a line on a map, people will automatically want to go there. That is the nature of the individual and he or she cannot be blamed for this. We must recognise that there are people in vulnerable positions outside the borders of Europe and it should not be left to one or two countries to deal with the problem. We should give them support and recognise our responsibilities.