Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank both witnesses. Mr. Andrews and Ms Magennis have asked what we can do. While there will be a formal invitation from the Minister for Justice and Equality next week to get permission in respect of the numbers, I propose that we write to the Government and Opposition Whips to request a broader debate in the Dáil Chamber on the migrant and refugee crisis. Is that agreed? Agreed. We should set aside a substantial amount of time for Members to air their views on this and to get both Opposition and Government responses.

I have a vivid memory of a young boy we met in the Syrian orphanage. Both Deputy O'Sullivan and myself met him. He was almost lifeless and, as Mr. Andrews said, he went through terrible trauma. Obviously the children were being well looked after by the caretakers in the refugee camp. He left me with a memory of what can happen. A father with his wife and two children were fleeing the city of Aleppo and they ran in to a barrel bomb. The father and daughter were blown to bits, the mother survived and the little boy was found two days later in the branches of a tree. He never spoke for a number of weeks after the incident. He was coming around in that refugee camp but I still remember hugging that child and how almost lifeless he was. Hopefully he is doing better in the tender loving care of the carers in that refugee centre.

I thank the witnesses for coming before us this morning. We will keep in touch with them both to stay updated on what is happening. We will certainly keep this issue to the forefront of our agenda as things develop. We look forward to having a debate in the Chamber on the crisis.