Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for not being here for all of the presentation and hope I do not go back over issues that have been covered. The refugee crisis stems from a complete lack of respect and disrespect for human rights in countries, whether Syria, Yemen or Eritrea. Unless we grapple with the human rights issues, then we will have another Syria and other situations will develop in the future.

I refer to children who arrive unaccompanied or end up unaccompanied because they are particularly vulnerable. Have the delegates met many of these children who are a target for traffickers?

I refer to the barrel bomb issue and Syria. Why can there not be political agreement reached on the issue because it is causing so many deaths and injuries? I was part of a group that visited the Turkish-Syrian border with GOAL. The Syrian people we met on that occasion told us they wanted to return home. I was very conscious of how they held on to their culture and language. They had their own teachers and medical people. They wanted to create a Syrian society but the big question is, when will that happen?

As has been mentioned, unless a political solution is found, the crisis will continue and there will be more crises. There are people who have become refugees again. I refer to people who went to Syria as refugees and now they must leave Syria.

Following on from the point made Senator Walsh, we are appalled when a European country says it will not accept refugees but the Gulf States and the Emirates can do so and get away with not contributing. Are they contributing in any way to easing the plight of refugees?