Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I gave Deputy Bríd Smith every opportunity to speak and I am addressing the question she asked. I am giving Deputy Smith my view and I have listened to her view. I fully appreciate her view and I take it on board, but I hope she will listen to my view as well.

We could opt not to train the Libyan coast guard, let these unseaworthy vessels leave the Libyan coast only to sink one, two or three miles out to sea and see thousands of migrants lose their lives, or we can train the Libyan coast guard, as we are doing, to try to stop unseaworthy vessels leaving the Libyan ports to ensure that these lives are not lost. I assure Deputy Smith that we are still saving the lives of migrants. It was stated in the House that we would not save the lives of migrants once we entered into Operation Sophia. The opposite has happened. We are still saving lives.

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