Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentation. Many questions have been asked already and I will not repeat them. The statistic of 90,000 unaccompanied children is the most shocking, as well as the treatment of women who are trying to seek refugee status in Europe and how they disappear in the process.

There are two questions I would like to ask about matters that my colleague Deputy Darragh O'Brien and others have touched upon. One of them is about the EU-Turkey deal, which goes against all previous treatment of refugees. I ask the witnesses for their view on the deal and on Ireland's support for it. Quite frankly, what do the witnesses think of Ireland giving money under that deal? We have other EU programmes under which all of the money is put into a pot - sometimes I call it a black hole - and there is no transparency thereafter. We do not know where our money is going on that EU-Turkey deal and we seek clarity on that. If there is no clarity, we should stop giving the money. I would prefer it to be going to the likes of the NGOs represented today and others who are giving direct assistance.

In relation to the conference, the EU will have its own position. What should Ireland's position be, independent of the EU? The EU will obviously compromise and move a limited distance. What should Ireland seek on that deal?

The committee will have to forgive me as I have to go another meeting. I will get the transcripts of the replies.