Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The EU is doing exactly that: it is advocating for an end to all military activity in Syria because no lasting solution in Syria will be delivered through military means alone. The apparent chemical attack in the city of Douma in Syria on 7 April was horrifying, even by the standards of the Syrian conflict to date. It was distressing to see images of children choking to death, their lives cut short by a conflict they did not understand and in which they were not involved. Whole families were wiped out in basements in which they had sought shelter from bombs falling overhead. I remember seeing very similar images when I visited Halabja, as I said when Deputy Wallace and others asked questions on this matter previously. There, I spoke to families who witnessed similar incidents in 1988. I wish to make several matters clear before I deal with the military intervention. Ireland condemns the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and in any circumstances. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate my unreserved condemnation of this callous act perpetrated on civilians, particularly women and children.

As has been mentioned, on 14 April the United States, France and the United Kingdom launched a series of strikes on a number of facilities which have been linked to the Syrian Government’s use of chemical weapons. From what we were told yesterday, notice was given to ensure that there were no civilian casualties. The stated objective of the strikes was to ensure that chemical attacks such as that in Douma do not reoccur. When a chemical attack as horrific as that occurs and in the absence of the UN Security Council being able to take action because of the repeated use of a veto, I can understand why the military strikes happened, as I have stated. That is not the same as an implicit endorsement of or support for that action. Last week I was asked about military strikes in advance of their happening but when they were being discussed. I urged caution and very clearly stated that I did not see how further military activity in Syria would improve an already very difficult situation.

Yesterday, at the Foreign Affairs Council, I continued to urge caution and asked that the focus be on political solutions. Anyone who reads the entirety of the resolution that was agreed will see that there is a short reference to military strikes but all its emphasis is on humanitarian support, accountability in Syria and legal mechanisms to deliver that, inspections, a more comprehensive UN response and a conference on Syria to be held next week in Brussels, at which Ireland will make a further significant financial contribution towards supporting the millions of refugees who need international assistance. I discussed the situation in Syria with my EU colleagues at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. We condemned in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons in Syria and stressed the need to ensure full legal accountability for those responsible for such crimes. Our focus should remain on the horrors inflicted by the Assad regime on its own people. We also reiterated our support for the UN-led political negotiations to end the conflict and recognised the urgent need to reinvigorate the political track.

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