Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. Andrews and Ms Magennis for their presentations which paint a depressing and appalling picture. I recall an earlier meeting with Mr. Andrews at which he referred to the Syrian crisis as the humanitarian crisis of our generation. We have had considerable exchanges with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and when he reports on EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings, we continually raise the issue of the situation in Syria and refer to the problems in the region. We have also asked parliamentary questions in the Dáil. This is an issue we need to keep on the agenda as much as possible. In every exchange with representatives of the United Nations we refer to the totally outdated architecture of that body and its inadequacy in dealing with such problems throughout the world and draw attention to the totally unsatisfactory situation at the Security Council and the non-implementation of resolutions. From the point of view of my party which is, I am sure, reflective of the views of other members, we need a radical restructuring of the United Nations to reflect the current geopolitical system in the world.

In response to the question put by the Chairman Ms Magennis rightly said only a united European emergency response would address the current refugee migration crisis. The Chairman also referred to the obligation of other members of the international community, be they wealthy Arab states, the United States or other countries, to play their part, which does not in any way excuse the inadequate response, to date, of the European Union. There has to be a response from the entire international community.

The reference by both Mr. Andrews and Ms Magennis to the fact that the civil war in Syria is now in its fifth year paints an appalling vista of this humanitarian crisis. More than 240,000 Syrians have been killed and 7.6 million people displaced within Syria. Over 4 million people have had to leave the country, while approximately 12.2 million - over half of Syria's population - are in need of humanitarian assistance. Every one of these figures points to a bleak and depressing picture and shows the international community has failed to respond to the difficulties in Syria and the attendant pressures in adjoining regions. Mr. Andrews mentioned the need to deal with the issues at source and has, at various points, referred to the need to continue humanitarian assistance to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, countries that have huge numbers of displaced persons from Syria, as well as some from Afghanistan.

The United Nations appealed for $8.4 billion to meet the needs of 18 million people in Syria and across the region, but it is my understanding that it has been totally underfunded to date. Has the recent constant media coverage of the plight of these refugees and a greater awareness of and empathy towards the victims of the humanitarian crisis we see unfolding every day led to an improved financial response from governments, public agencies and the voluntary sector? I compliment NGOs and their personnel who are working in these regions in the most appalling circumstances.

One of the pictures that will always be in our minds is the picture of the three year old child washed up on the shore. One message that GOAL put out during the summer was that we do not remember that eight children a day are being killed in Syria, which is an appalling statistic. I do not mean it only as a statistic, it is an appalling situation occurring daily in Syria. Europe and the international community have a huge obligation to improve dramatically their response to a very difficult conflict in Syria and in adjoining regions.