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

I refer to the issue of SDGs. The Minister has mentioned how crucial the meeting in Addis Ababa will be to their successful conclusion. I am delighted that the Taoiseach will attend the summit in New York, probably underlining how important it will be for the world for the next 15 years and beyond. I have a concern - this issue was also raised with me - about the European response to the draft declaration by the United Nations which was watered down from its previous conclusions, leaving out a specific reference to the importance of sexual and reproductive health. SDGs Nos. 3 and 5 deal with health and gender equality and are fundamental to achieving the other goals because impoverished women who have too many children whom they cannot feed perpetuate hunger, poverty and migration. All of these issue are, therefore, very much related.

I ask the Minister to revert to me on that issue. I understand the reference to sexual and reproductive health was left out on the insistence of Malta. If the Minister has information on the issue, I ask him to indicate whether that is correct. I am anxious to ensure the joint committee's statement is as strong as possible.

I am pleased that the European Union is at least beginning to take seriously the issue of migration. Two weeks ago I visited the Turkish-Syrian border in my capacity as a member of the Council of Europe. The only certainties are that migration from Syria into Turkey which already accommodates more than 2 million Syrian refugees will increase and that these refugees will not stay in Turkey but will seek to enter the European Union. While I am in favour of Ireland taking as many refugees as possible and picking up refugees at sea, these measures will not solve the problem. If a solution to the political chaos in Libya is found, it may cause a temporary halt to the flight of refugees, but the European Union will continue to have an enormous pull for poor Africans and refugees will continue to make the journey. While tackling the smugglers' network will have some impact, in the light of our failure to have a significant impact on drug networks and smugglers, I am not hopeful in that regard. It is welcome, however, that the European Union is beginning to wake up to the fact that this problem is not temporary and will grow. I will be interested in learning what action will be taken on this matter at the next Council meeting.

It is unfortunate that the issue of Palestine arises at every meeting with the Minister. The Palestinian problem has festered for years and simply gets worse as we move further from a solution. Deputy Brendan Smith has referred to the residents of a village whose homes are being threatened with destruction, not for the first or second time. The joint committee has received representations from both sides on the issue. The Israelis maintain that this is simply a planning issue. However, planning for the area in question is carried out by a military planning committee, the purpose of which is political. While only a few hundred people are affected in this case, the decision is part of the larger picture in which the possibility of achieving a two-state solution is being destroyed. I am pleased to note the Minister's strong statement of displeasure about the issue in which he expresses the view that current policies are not sufficient and that our position should be reviewed.

On a completely different but related issue, I was upset to learn that a radical political group, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, had taken action that resulted in the abandonment of plans to have the first Israeli feis. I understand the use of intimidation and threatening remarks to those-----