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

They are fair questions, but, first, let me clear up a couple of points. The recent vote in the European Parliament which some Fianna Fáil MEPs did not even attend was on a non-binding resolution, but it also had legitimate problems in the context of the sharing of information in the Mediterranean. Let me be very clear: Ireland would be willing to send a ship back to the Mediterranean to assist in search and rescue efforts, as we have done in the past. The Taoiseach has confirmed this, as have I. This week I met representatives of a number of the NGOs that have been working to provide search and rescue support in the Mediterranean, saving people's lives. The European Union needs to do more than it is doing. Its inability to achieve a collective agreement on migration and the humanitarian response needed for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean is not its finest hour. There are many countries, including Ireland, that are trying to find a much more co-ordinated and cohesive way forward on the issue and we will continue to do so. Countries such as Germany, in particular, are trying to build consensus on how to put together a collective effort that will not only save lives but also deal with the root causes of migration from the continent of Africa.

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