Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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It will be next year before any refugees come here. At that stage there will be a process there for these people coming in.

Mr. Al Habib has created great interest among the members of the committee in today's session.

As I said at the beginning of the meeting, it was important for us to get a graphic account of exactly what is happening from somebody like Mr. Al Habib. I admire the work he is doing for the White Helmets. We must also pay tribute to the first responders, those people who gave up their lives to help others and those who continue to do so in these areas.

I visited the Turkish border earlier this year with GOAL and met some Syrian refugees and orphans. We heard the graphic stories of what happens when there is a bombing from the air and about the dreadful atrocities that result. We have given millions of euro to help the humanitarian crisis in Syria, and will continue to do so because we have an excellent track record in humanitarian aid. Ireland has long called for the implementation of the Geneva principles of non-violence, a transitional government and a constitutional process that protects the multiethnic population. We have constantly called on the UN Security Council to uphold international law in Syria, and will continue to do so.

This has been a very interesting meeting. There were quite a lot of exchanges between Mr. Al Habib and members, and it is to be hoped he keeps in touch with us. He should keep up the great work he is doing but, as he rightly pointed out, it is dangerous. Many of his members were killed. We will keep Syria very much to the forefront of our minds in the committee for the foreseeable future.

As Mr. Al Habib said, the situation is complex and difficult, and there is no short-term solution. Even if we discussed the issue for another day or two we would not come up with a solution. In the end, no matter what conflict is happening people will have to sit down and talk because that is the only way it will end. I thank Mr. Al Habib for the frank and open manner in which he dealt with the questions. We look forward to keeping in touch. On behalf of the committee I thank him for coming before us. I also thank Ms Valerie Hughes.