Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I will revert to the Minister another day on his visit to the Middle East and particularly the situation of Israel and Palestine. Specifically, though, we would all like to commend our troops who are on UN peacekeeping duties across the globe and we welcome the Minister's remarks in that regard.

He mentioned the migrant and refugee crisis in his statement, about which I would like to ask him two questions. Some of this may be more relevant to the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, in which case we can leave it until his contribution. I wish to ask specifically about our response as a Government and within the EU to the refugee crisis. We had made a commitment of resettling 4,000 people, refugees from Syria, Iraq and the Middle East. It is hard to get a figure, but my understanding is that we have settled 12 people. I know this covers the Department of Justice too, so I am not laying this all at the Minister's door. The EU response has been well below par.

I would like the Minister to comment on that with regard to his contact with the Department of Justice and Equality. Will we reach the target of 4,000 people, who need our help and assistance, and will we abide by our commitment? If so, how long will that take?

Finally, I would like the Minister to comment on the decision of Médecins sans Frontières not to accept any funding from European Governments or EU institutions due to the EU-Turkey deal. We have made a financial commitment of about €22.9 million that is linked directly to the EU-Turkey deal. Many people, including myself, feel that the arrangement with Turkey is not in the best interests of many of those refugees. Turkey already has 3 million refugees from the region within their borders, but we believe that the rights of refugees and those in need are being infringed by this deal and that some of the money that we are allocating to the EU fund is actually being used to strengthen borders. I would like a comment today that none of the €22.9 million that we have allocated to the EU fund is being used for enhanced border protection and security so that we are stopping people coming into Europe. The situation is that those within Europe and in Greece already are stuck in camps, with their families left in Turkey. This is not a situation by which we as a country should abide, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, DFA, Department of Justice and the Government should reconsider our role in the EU-Turkey deal. It is a bad deal for those who need our help.