Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The answer to the first question is "Yes". The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade called in the Russian ambassador last Tuesday and left him in no uncertain terms as to how this country feels about the human catastrophe that is unfolding and has unfolded in Syria and particularly Aleppo. The Minister made perfectly clear our absolute disgust at and abhorrence of the bombing of a United Nations humanitarian convoy going into Aleppo to relieve people who have had neither food nor water for quite some time. There have been catastrophic deaths of men, women and children in particular, with the bombing of hospitals and the resulting break off of discussions between the United States and Russia on the matter. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade also spoke to UN High Representative Mogherini last Friday.

The matter has been discussed at every European Council I have attended and the question is what kind of support can be given. President Putin invaded Crimea and took it over a couple of years ago. There has been destabilisation in a number of eastern Balkans states. In this case, Russia and Iran have supported Assad and the United States and Europe have supported the opposition. This is a human catastrophe and perhaps within the European Union we have always seemed to take peace too much for granted. A few hours across the shores unfolds a misery from the deliberate destruction of human life across a range of fronts.

There are sanctions against Russia and, separately from that, this country has increased its humanitarian aid on a number of occasions. It is a sad fact that Syria has now been at war for the past five years and Aleppo is now becoming a symbol from a Russian perspective; with the success of the support given by the Russian forces to Assad, the intent is to obliterate Aleppo. From the European Union perspective, Ministers have spoken directly to UN High Representative Mogherini. I repeat that our Minister last Tuesday called in the Russian ambassador, leaving him in no uncertain position as to the way this country feels about the humanitarian catastrophe that has afflicted Syria for some time and Aleppo in particular.

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