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

We have been proactive but it is not enough yet. There are substantial new schemes to try to ensure that we stem the flow of migrants coming from many African countries - Nigeria, Mali and many others - via what is essentially a trafficking route through Libya. We are working with governments in countries where the migration begins. We are also trying to deal robustly with traffickers and ensure that conditions in camps on the shores of Libya are improving through UN structures and engagement. The numbers that are trying to cross the Mediterranean are significantly down this year. Having said that, they are still significant; approximately 16,000 have so far arrived in Italian ports this year. We cannot continue to allow a small number of Mediterranean countries to carry the entire burden in the context of the migration pressures that exist. There must be a collective response from the European Union. We need to show some flexibility in respect of how that collective response works in practical terms. That is what leaders, including the Taoiseach, will be discussing and advocating in the next few days.

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