Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on this very important issue, which is one of the most serious facing our planet. My colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, spoke earlier about the internal EU dimensions of the migration crisis. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I will speak about the external aspects of this crisis which has dominated the agenda of EU Foreign Ministers at their monthly meetings during my tenure. In the first instance, it should go without saying that the most harrowing aspects of the crisis lie beyond our borders in the conflict zones which have given rise to this huge movement of people. However, from a European perspective, it is no exaggeration to say that the migration crisis has in the past year convulsed the EU and at times threatened the solidarity which has been its hallmark.

Following last month's political agreement between EU Heads of State and Government and Turkey, the migration crisis has for the time being moved off the front pages. However, the crisis is anything but over. In dealing with this crisis, we must keep the migrants themselves at the centre of our thinking and the core of our actions. These migrants have felt compelled to flee their countries because of conflict and violence. As an international community, we must therefore intensify our efforts to bring these conflicts, particularly those in Syria, Sudan and Libya, to an end. So many migrants in their desperation have fallen into the hands of ruthless and unscrupulous people-smugglers. We must, therefore, build solutions that break the business model of the smugglers. These migrants have felt forced to abandon their homelands. We must therefore ensure that we act to prevent conflicts and crises in the developing world and, when conflicts occur, ensure that refugees can, to the greatest extent possible, be cared for near to their homelands so that they can return home when conflicts end. This is a vastly complex issue and there are no easy or simple solutions.

The European Union has been playing a leading role in tackling the current crisis. Ireland has played a key role, as an EU member state, in bilateral co-operation with the states from which the migrants are coming and with international organisations. We have worked with our European partners and with partners outside the European Union. The scale of the current migration into Europe is enormous. More than 1 million migrants and asylum seekers arrived irregularly in Europe in 2015. Indications are that this migration flow is continuing apace this year with the so-called central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy becoming active again now that the western Balkans route has been all but closed. So far this year, more than 154,000 migrants and asylum seekers have arrived in Greece, more than arrived in the same period in 2015. These numbers are unprecedented in Europe since the Second World War. A very large number of these migrants have come from Turkey and it has long been recognised that Turkey has a key role to play if the migration crisis is to be resolved.

Last month, EU leaders and Turkey reached an agreement on how to address irregular migration. The joint statement agreed between the two sides commits Turkey to readmit from Greece all irregular migrants and to protect them in accordance with international standards, to tackle people smugglers and to help prevent new migratory routes to the EU opening up. For its part, the EU will resettle Syrians currently in Turkey on a one-for-one basis where other Syrians are returned from Greece. The core intention of the agreement with Turkey is to break the business model of the people smugglers who are profiting from the suffering of the vulnerable and to stop migrants and asylum seekers attempting the treacherous and dangerous journey across the Aegean. We should never forget that Turkey itself has played a generous role in the current migration crisis and has accepted almost 3 million refugees from Syria. Part of our work with Turkey is to ensure that these refugees are receiving proper support. Over the next three years, the European Union and its member states will expend €3 billion on the Turkey refugee facility to ensure that refugees in Turkey are properly housed and educated. It is estimated that up to 400,000 refugee children in Turkey are not receiving education. We have also agreed that we will consider further funding when the current facility has concluded. It is highly unlikely, however, that the EU-Turkey agreement alone will resolve the crisis. It will not stop people leaving Syria and it will not prevent people from wanting to come to Europe. However, it should help to manage the flow of asylum seekers more effectively, more humanely and more fairly. Critically, it should stop people getting into unsafe boats and risking their lives.

Implementation will, as always, be crucial. Ireland will make its own contribution to this collective effort. Ireland is playing its part in ensuring that all asylum seekers arriving in Greece receive a fair hearing and that their applications are processed in full accordance with EU and international law. We have previously deployed two experts to the Greek island of Lesbos to support the European Asylum Support Office in the relocation process and we have nominated liaison officers to both Italy and Greece to support the work of the hotspots where migrants are registered. In addition, my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, has nominated four international protection casework experts to the European Asylum Support Office for consideration for deployment to the Greek islands. Of these, two have been selected for immediate deployment and have already arrived in Lesbos. Ireland has also offered the services of two members of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal to support the establishment of appeals committees.

Due to its geographic location, Ireland has not been on the front line in trying to cope with the huge flow of migrants entering Europe. However, we are acutely conscious of the pressures faced by our fellow member states. As I mentioned earlier, these matters are discussed on a regular basis by EU Ministers, both formally and Informally. Last year the EU agreed to relocate 160,000 asylum seekers from countries with an EU average 75% recognition rate for asylum among the member states. Although we enjoy an opt-out from the relevant EU justice and home affairs legislation, Ireland opted in to these decisions and voluntarily agreed to take more than 2,600 individuals on relocation. We have also agreed to take 520 on resettlement and have committed to accepting 4,000 individuals in total. To date, 273 people have been resettled - 263 - or relocated - ten - to Ireland since last summer. A taskforce was established by the Government under the direction of the Minister for Justice and Equality to address the practicality of accommodating and integrating the new arrivals. My Department is represented on the taskforce. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Sean Sherlock, will speak in the House later about Ireland's humanitarian response to the migration and refugee crisis. As such, I do not propose to address that here.

Irregular migration is, of course, not solely or even primarily a European issue, it is a huge global challenge. The global migration crisis is, therefore, being addressed at the United Nations as a matter of the highest priority. Ireland was invited to co-facilitate with Jordan a major UN summit of world leaders on migration and refugees in New York in September. The summit will try to agree at Heads of Government level a new set of global policy principles - the first of their kind - on migration and refugees. Indications at this stage are that the agreed topics for discussion will include addressing the root causes of large-scale movements of refugees and migrants; protecting refugees and migrants, particularly women and children, in vulnerable situations; strengthening the resilience of refugees and host communities, and exploring within the framework of the 2030 development agenda the development of a global compact for safe, regular and orderly migration. Ireland has consistently taken the position that tackling the migration and refugee crisis must include comprehensive longer-term solutions that address the causes of such large-scale movements further upstream. We also believe strongly that it is only by working in a spirit of equality and partnership with countries of origin that long-term solutions will be found. We therefore welcome the summit as an opportunity for countries of origin, transit and destination to reach agreement on a way forward.

The current migration crisis is challenging governments in the developed and developing world. It is important that at national, European and international levels, governments craft responses which ensure the safety and dignity of the refugees, tackle the root causes of irregular migration and ensure that we retain the trust and confidence of our people. Ireland is playing its part in the effort to craft such responses and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

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