Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Obviously, there can and must be a number of responses in respect of the horrific atrocity in Paris and the threats in other European capitals and beyond. It is important that the European Union appears as a powerful force. It will do so, assuming that agreement can be reached on a co-ordinated approach. As well as the Foreign Affairs Council being actively engaged, there is an ongoing role and function for EU justice Ministers and these meetings are taking place on a weekly basis.

Of course, in short, defeating Daesh cannot be separated from ending the conflict in Syria. It is the latter conflict and above all the actions and policies of the Assad regime which have given rise to these terrorist threats and acts. Therefore, I welcome the efforts on the part of the EU to press for a negotiated settlement and I call on all parties to support the UN efforts. In the meantime, we must counter the terrorist threat. An element of good progress has been made on a range of fronts to ensure an active and comprehensive counter-terrorism policy while working towards building that capacity by ensuring a funding commitment. There is much that EU states can do by way of sharing information, looking at the availability or otherwise of firearms, and also considering our external borders.

As regards the Middle East, I share Deputy Durkan's sense of frustration and his perception that there is something of a vacuum. That is why this issue has moved up the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council. The EU needs to be more active in respect of practical issues on the ground, especially Israeli policies on settlements and any acts that might be seen to undermine any possibility of successful political progress. The Irish Government continues to believe that the only option in terms of a resolution is the two-state solution. I look forward to participating on this issue in December at the Council.

I acknowledge that the current political situation in Libya remains unresolved. At this stage, there is no framework involving the two rival governments to raise confidence that matters might be brought towards a conclusion. However, the EU will continue to support a settlement in Libya which will involve not only political dialogue leading towards a unity government, but also an EU package that will involve an injection of finance, which is ready to be implemented assuming that agreement can be reached from a political perspective.

We continue to engage actively with the UN, ensuring that that body continues to play a most important role in areas of conflict. As regards the situation in Iraq, Ireland has repeatedly made clear its support for the new government of Mr. al-Abadi and the political process of reform as set out by him. The security operation to which the Deputy refers must go hand in hand with political engagement between national authorities and the Sunni population in Iraq. Ireland strongly supports the territorial unity of Iraq and its sovereignty.

Ireland has had a long-standing engagement with Ethiopia. The government of Ethiopia faces great challenges from severe ongoing crises, including drought and other disasters. We operate an ongoing programme of support and will continue to respond in any way we can to requests for humanitarian support from the Ethiopian authorities.