Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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109. To ask the Minister for Defence his views regarding whether it is appropriate for the LE Eithne to take part in Operation Triton in view of the fact that it is primarily an exercise in border control rather than in humanitarian rescue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21536/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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This question is similar to that posed by Deputy Mac Lochlainn. While I agree with the Minister that there are multiple reasons for the large number of refugees, the predominant cause is Western-instigated wars and exploitation in countries such as Libya, Syria and Eritrea. While I am glad that the LE Eithneand the Naval Service have rescued people in the Mediterranean, we need to dig deeper. We must consider what happens to those people after they are rescued and our role therein, examine the conditions causing them to become refugees in the first place, and consider whether we have a role in that regard.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will answer the question that was tabled and revert on the refugee issue.

To be clear, the LE Eithneis not engaged in Operation Triton or in any form of border security operation as part of its deployment to the Mediterranean. Section 3 of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006 permits, with the approval of the Government, the despatch of Naval Service vessels and personnel for humanitarian search and rescue tasks only. It does not permit the carrying out of border control-type tasks such as those undertaken by Operation Triton.

The deployment of the LE Eithne, following Government approval, supports those measures already taken by Italy and other EU states in the search for and rescue of migrants and the provision of humanitarian assistance as provided under international law. There is no international humanitarian search and rescue operation established by any decision of any international body or national authorities in the Mediterranean. The Naval Service deployment does not form part of any such operation. It involves the unilateral deployment by Ireland of a Naval Service vessel to the Mediterranean where it is undertaking humanitarian search and rescue tasks in accordance with the applicable provisions of international conventions governing search and rescue situations and in co-ordination with the Italian authorities.

The humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean is of great concern to Ireland and its EU partners. The LE Eithneand its crew are providing an invaluable asset in assisting with the Mediterranean migrant crisis. I have given the numbers that have been rescued in an incredibly short period of time. This has been a very busy and testing mission. On the broader issues, Ireland needs to play its part as part of a European effort. This is what the conversation was all about at the last meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Council. We will continue to do that. I hope we will play a part in sharing some of the burden with regard to the migrants and the assessment of their asylum applications.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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I am very glad that the Minister has stated clearly that our naval forces are not involved in Operation Triton. The reality is that they are operating side by side with that exercise, which is run under Frontex and the EU border control agency. We must consider that the humanitarian mission run by the Italians since 2013 under Operation Mare Nostrum, which they were pressurised by the EU to cease, succeeded in rescuing almost 150,000 people before it was replaced by Operation Triton, which is primarily an exercise in border control. While I appreciate the Minister's assurance that our forces are not involved in the new operation and are engaged in a purely humanitarian mission, that needs to be examined further. Are the people who are taken on board the LE Eithnenot on Irish sovereign soil? Should they not be covered by the 1951 refugee convention? Should we not have an obligation to land them in Malta or Italy for a short period of time before bringing them back to Ireland, where we could consider a resettlement programme? It is a bit of a half-measure to have one without the other.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I do not know whether the Deputy is suggesting that the almost 1,200 people who have been rescued to date should have been brought back to Ireland. If we had to steam for four or five days to come back to Cork Harbour or somewhere else in Ireland, the practicalities of that would mean we could not be effective in the Mediterranean. We are trying to assist in a massive task. Thousands of people are looking to cross the Mediterranean in boats that are not fit to cross the River Liffey, never mind the Mediterranean. They are packed onto those boats with no life jackets or life rafts. In some cases, they do not have enough food, water or fuel. Essentially, we are trying to provide an emergency response capacity that does not solve all problems but solves part of the problem. We are using our expertise and professionalism through the Naval Service to rescue those people and take them on board. They are likely to stay on the LE Eithnefor 12 hours or less, or maybe slightly more if we are steaming to an Italian port, before they are disembarked and looked after appropriately in terms of their medium-term medical needs and their asylum applications, etc.

The legal provisions around that work were explored before we sent the ship to the Mediterranean so that we could do it efficiently.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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We have one of the worst records in Europe for accommodating refugees. I would have no problem whatsoever with the resettlement of 1,200 people, or many more, in Ireland. They would not have to be transported by the LE Eithne. Moving them to a direct provision centre in Italy or Malta is not the solution. Ireland has a part to play in that resettlement programme, way beyond what we have already offered. Whether we like it or not, we have been complicit in the making these people refugees in the first place by allowing the US military unlimited and unrestricted access to Shannon Airport, which has had a considerable destabilising impact on countries such as Libya, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Is there not an argument that once the refugees are on the LE Eithnethey are covered by the UN convention on refugees and we should consider granting them asylum? Should we not consider taking many more? Do we expect Italy, Greece or Malta to take them all?

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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For the record, we are not disembarking any refugees in Malta. This is purely an agreement with Italy and it is very happy to have Ireland as part of the combined effort in the Mediterranean. It makes sense, however, to try to manage numbers in relatively few locations, rather than all over Europe.

The Deputy is right that there is a conversation under way, one that needs to be held, and decisions need to be made on the back of that conversation about how other countries across the EU can help to share the burden of accommodating successful asylum seekers in different parts of Europe. We need to be sure that whatever commitment we make we can follow through on in terms of available accommodation, support services and so on. We will be generous but realistic about what Ireland can do.