Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals he has to raise at European Union level the need for the international community to provide immediately further humanitarian assistance to Syria and the adjoining countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41220/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The ongoing crisis in Syria is unprecedented in recent history with the enormous humanitarian impact reverberating across the region. The devastating violence has caused more than 2.1 million refugees to seek protection in neighbouring countries, in addition to the more than 4 million people who have found themselves displaced inside their own country. With almost 7 million people in urgent need of assistance, an immediate and sustained response from the international community is clearly required.

Ireland has been unwavering in its support to the international humanitarian response. To date, we have provided almost €11 million to the relief effort and are one of the world's most generous donors - on a per capita basis - to the response to this crisis. Through trusted NGO partners here in Ireland, as well as the UN and the Red Cross-Red Crescent movement, we are playing a considerable part in the international effort to meet the massive needs, both inside Syria and in the wider region.

As I am sure the Deputy agrees, it is imperative that the European Union is to the fore in rallying the international community to help alleviate the severe and unconscionable suffering of those affected by the Syrian crisis. Notably, the EU has to date mobilised almost €1.8 billion in assistance from both the Commission and member states, making this the largest international contribution since the crisis began.

Ireland has been consistent in its efforts at EU level to ensure the necessary attention is given by the international community to this crisis. Ireland has used every opportunity to call for all parties to the conflict to fully respect and be held accountable for violations of international humanitarian law. Moreover, throughout our EU Presidency in the first half of this year, Ireland repeatedly underlined the gravity of the humanitarian situation, including through discussion at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Most recently, following discussions on Syria at the recent Gymnich - Informal Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers - held in Vilnius on 6 and 7 September, the High Representative, Baroness Catherine Ashton, issued a press statement highlighting the need for the EU to reaffirm our commitment to the people of Syria and to support them in every way possible through humanitarian assistance. Ireland strongly endorses this statement.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

Ireland will continue to encourage the various UN agencies to maintain the unprecedented mutual co-operation that has been forged over the last two years in response to this crisis. Furthermore, we will persist in highlighting the vulnerable position of Syria's neighbouring countries which have found themselves severely strained as a result of the large scale influxes of refugees.

In order to assess the current situation on the ground, I will be travelling to the region in the next week. With the UN Secretary General announcing a further humanitarian pledging conference for Syria in January 2014, Ireland will renew its already significant efforts at European level and internationally to galvanise support from the international community for an enhanced humanitarian response in Syria and its neighbouring countries, which should be understood as a vital complement to the ongoing attention being given to finding a political solution to this crisis.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I welcome the fact that Ireland has provided almost €11 million in aid. Is the Minister of State satisfied that such humanitarian aid is getting to the most distressed and needy because we are aware earlier this year of the Assad regime placing obstacles in the way of aid being provided to those he termed to be in the opposition groups?

I take the opportunity to compliment the Irish non-governmental organisations and their sister organisations for their outstanding work in extremely difficult circumstances. As I asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Gilmore, earlier, would the Minister of State outline whether there is an effort at European Union level to co-ordinate a response in regard to assisting refugees? It is my understanding that the challenges are becoming increasingly serious in the neighbouring areas where refugees have gone from Syria, with diseases, security hazards in the camps and scarcity of food and basic services, and there is real pressure on those adjoining countries which are doing their best to assist those 2.5 million refugees who have arrived in their lands already.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for the questions. As he can understand, in a war situation, particularly in a civil war situation, it is never easy for humanitarian aid to get to all of the areas affected. We operate largely with the United Nations and with the Red Cross-Red Crescent - these are the bodies that have the greatest access - and also with the refugees on the borders with the neighbouring countries of Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. The Minister has been to Turkey already; I have been to Jordan. Next week, I will be travelling to the Lebanon to see what the situation is in the camps.

The European Union has been to the fore in providing €1.8 billion in assistance - the largest contribution. In many ways, this is only part of what is required because the overall estimate by the United Nations for 2013 alone is €5.2 billion. While 55% or thereabouts of it has been provided in relation to refugees, there was still less than 50% for displaced persons. There is a significant element required in terms of the pledges that have been committed but which we are awaiting to be delivered.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Deputies Wallace and Crowe want to ask a question.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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I too commend the Government for the amount of aid that it has given to the situation. I am glad to hear that the Minister of State will visit the Lebanon. He will probably be aware that Lebanon has a population of 4.8 million and has over 700,000 registered refugees. It is reckoned Lebanon has another 0.5 million unregistered. There are 1.3 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon today - over a quarter of Lebanon's population. Lebanon itself is fairly divided. The last time it had a refugee crisis, as the Minister of State will probably recall, there were 3,500 civilians massacred in Sabra and Shatila because of the tensions that arose because of the refugee numbers.

I would agree also that it must be nearly impossible to ensure that our funding is going to the correct source within the country where whoever is in control in that area is likely to abuse it. In the bordering countries, such as Lebanon, one has a fair better chance of ensuring that the funding is properly spent.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I am not aware whether the Minister of State saw the BBC programme during the week which showed the real horror of what was happening in Syria. All that was missing was the smell of what was going on in many of these camps. It was horrifying.

As regards those countries which have given a public commitment of aid, would it be helpful at some stage for the Minister of State or some organisation to publish a list of those which have failed to live up to their responsibilities where they have given public commitments and the aid is not coming through? It would be interesting to see how involved many of these countries are in supplying weaponry and other elements to the conflict in that region.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I have a related question. I wonder would it be possible to ask the Minister, in the context of the present focus on Syria, whether it might be an opportune time, through the aegis of the international community, to influence the authorities there to at least make some kind of accommodation for the civilians have been under severe pressure and have suffered greatly in terms of their human rights since the war started.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I thank the Deputies for all those questions. This is an incredible disaster. The United Nations has deemed it to be the largest ever humanitarian disaster in which it has been involved. One third of the population is either displaced within Syria or refugees. That indicates the extent of it.

The estimate of €5.2 billion required in 2013 alone is colossal. On naming and shaming those countries which have made pledges, it is a question of exhorting all those which have not as yet delivered to pay up. Ireland always honours its pledge and will continue to do so. This is recognised internationally. We hope progress will be made as a result of the announcement of the initiative on chemical weapons at the Geneva II talks and that an accommodation may be agreed in order that the humanitarian organisations can take control of the situation. I will be visiting Lebanon and the Middle East next week. Ireland has always endeavoured to keep abreast of the situation on the ground and I intend to do so this week.