Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The fall of the Gadaffi regime in 2011, which followed NATO intervention, was welcomed by my predecessor. It was clear at the time that building a democratic future for the people of Libya from the ashes of the Gadaffi dictatorship would be a difficult task. The optimism and expectations of a better future for Libya, which then prevailed, have not yet been realised. A more recent false dawn came in the form of the elections of June 2014. These were evidence that the Libyan people wanted to see a secure, stable and democratic Libya. However, in the latter half of 2014, amid increasing violence and anarchic political circumstances, the situation deteriorated substantially. The promise of these elections, just like that of 2011, remains unfulfilled. Recent months have seen Libya paralysed by intensifying conflict, with competing factions vying for political legitimacy and control of cities and infrastructure.

Our direct role in the events of 2011 was, essentially, limited to the provision of consular assistance to affected Irish citizens. UN Security Council Resolution 1973 demanded an immediate and complete ceasefire and authorised all necessary measures to protect civilians, as well as the establishment of a no-fly zone. This mandate was the basis for the NATO intervention. At the time, Ireland urged that any such military action should be proportionate, avoid civilian casualties and conform to resolution 1973. I hope that all relevant actors in Libya will participate in the continuing UN talks process in order to bring to an end the catastrophic suffering which this conflict has entailed for the Libyan people.

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