Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses very sincerely for their presentation. The committee secretariat became aware that Dr. Kenny would be back in Dublin. He mentioned that an opportunity to engage with the committee would be useful in a private capacity. It was my firm opinion that we should meet in a formal capacity because there may be some chance of people listening or watching these proceedings. Every effort should be made to get a greater awareness of the ongoing awful tragedy in that refugee route between Libya and Italy and the extraordinary loss of life.

I compliment Dr. Kenny and his colleagues who have been there on working in extremely dangerous and perilous conditions. They are working with the most deprived people. Some time ago, we heard from a colleague of theirs.

She was a midwife who had returned from Syria. Like today's presentations, hers was very graphic and very useful for getting out the message of the horrors being inflicted on innocent people. As all my colleagues have said, the response at European and global levels has been inadequate.

In respect of contact, I am informed that the next EU foreign affairs Council is on 17 July. We will ensure that the Department and the Minister have the transcript of this meeting well in advance of the Council meeting. We will specifically refer to the conclusions drawn by Mr. Taylor in his initial contribution. We will ask the officials and the Minister to take cognisance of all the issues raised today. We will write formally to the Minister, Deputy Coveney after this meeting asking him to raise them again on 17 July.

At the outset, Mr. Taylor stated that the deaths at sea are comparable to war zones and that there is only a sticking plaster being applied to a gaping wound. They are powerful statements of the desperate tragedy afflicting so many innocent people. We commend all the witnesses' colleagues, those in other non-governmental organisations and everybody who is working to try to ease the plight of those innocent people in very dangerous circumstances. We wish to record our appreciation of their work.