Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank him for his comprehensive outline to the meeting of all the developments at the Foreign Affairs Council over the past number of months. I thank him in particular for the update on the Ibrahim Halawa case. The Minister is aware that everybody on this committee wants the same result. We want to see him back safely with his family and continuing his education as soon as possible. However, we all appreciate this is a matter best left to the professionals. I have every confidence that our professional diplomatic team, who have made 42 visits to him over the past year and a half, know what they are doing. I know the Minister and his officials are pursuing every avenue. Hopefully, we will soon have a satisfactory outcome and Ibrahim Halawa will be back in Dublin before too long.

In regard to the Mediterranean crisis and the rescue of the unfortunate people who are fleeing war-torn areas, a report on RTE a few evenings ago was highly critical of Ireland and the European Union generally. It suggested we are not doing enough and have been slow to react to the crisis. I pay tribute to the personnel on theLE Eithnewho have done Trojan work in recent weeks in rescuing hundreds of refugees. However, I am conscious of the criticisms made by the UN appointee on migrant issues, Mr. Peter Sutherland. When will we know the numbers of refugees the Government plans to place in Ireland on resettlement programmes? Has this issue been discussed yet by Cabinet?

I attended a very moving ceremony yesterday organised by the Bosnian people in Dublin to mark the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, which is something we hope we will not see a repeat of in our time. However, in Syria, some 6,500 people have been killed in May alone. The issue of barrel bombs was referred to earlier. Has the issue of barrel bombs been discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council and what action is proposed to deal with the situation? Not alone are people being killed, maimed and starved, they now face these barrel bombs. The Assad regime is the only power in a position to carry out these aerial bombardments.

A few weeks ago this committee held an informal meeting to discuss the freedom charter with some Syrian representatives of civil society organisations. Has the freedom charter, which has the support of a significant number of political religious organisations and civil society organisations, been discussed or what status has it as far as the Minister and his colleagues at the Foreign Affairs Council are concerned?

I compliment the Minister and his officials on the outstanding assistance they provided to the families of those who lost their lives in Berkeley, California and of those who were killed in Tunisia recently. What is the up to date advice in regard to travel to Tunisia?