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

I thank the Minister for his reply and sincerely hope, given the views expressed by the EU High Representative after the Vienna talks, that a political solution to be achieved with the utmost urgency is the way forward. We fully realise the difficulties in achieving it. In the aftermath of the Paris attacks by Daesh the House had the opportunity to condemn the attacks. The organisation’s ideology is extreme and constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to peace and security. I condemn the gross, systematic and widespread abuses of human rights and the violations of humanitarian law by Daesh. The European Union has been a good contributor to assist people in the most difficult of circumstances in Syria. We must recognise the pressures on the countries adjoining Syria, namely, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq, that have been generous in their response to the Syrian people. Humanitarian aid and assistance must be given to these neighbouring countries, as well as to those in Syria who are living in the worst of circumstances.

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