Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Operation Sofia, like Operation Pontus, allows us to bring migrants to the coast of Italy. We have the authorisation and permission of the Italian authorities to bring any migrants picked up in Operation Sophia there. This is a UN mandated mission. The Naval Service has yet to be given full operation tasks involving the rescuing of people. People have been brought safely to port or transferred to another vessel from where they would be taken to a safe port. The ports of embarkment for migrants rescued by Operation Sophia are in Sicily. Operation Sophia specifically seeks to counter human trafficking and smuggling in the southern and central Mediterranean by taking action against the criminal networks and disrupting the smugglers' business model. By improving maritime security, Operation Sophia is actively contributing to the EU and international efforts for the return of stability in Libya. The EU strategic review of Operation Sophia, published earlier this year, has determined that despite the complexity of the situation existing common security and defence policy activity is starting to deliver some tangible results and remains a visible and prominent symbol of the EU political intent towards Libya and the region. Operation Sophia has so far contributed to the apprehension of 117 suspected smugglers and traffickers, removed approximately 400 boats from criminal organisations, contributed to almost 270 safety of life at sea events and rescued over 40,000 migrants to date. According to the International Organisation for Migration, the statistics to 21 September show that 16,566 have been rescued in the Libyan waters in 2017 alone. I do not want migrants to be leaving the Libyan coast. Thousands of these people are being drowned because they are leaving the coastline of Libya, with no one in charge of their welfare.

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