Dáil debates

Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions (Resumed)

 

3:30 pm

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the speaker and look forward to seeing him tomorrow, when we will have an opportunity to discuss a number of matters. He is very welcome to our jurisdiction, as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has said.

What the international community is anxious to do and what the European Union wishes to do is to assist in our commitment to an inclusive political settlement in Libya. The situation is very challenging and unstable. It is important that we work together at EU level and with the wider international community to ensure we can bring about a political settlement. That is under the framework of the Libyan political agreement. The European Union has reaffirmed its support to the United Nations support mission in Libya. I want to see political stability in Libya but, in the meantime, the European Union offers help and assistance in the form of a co-operation package focused on civil society and assisting. The focus of any arrangement or any assistance to Libya must, by definition, deal with the transit of persons and migration.

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Libya is an example of how disastrous western intervention in other countries can be at times. Libya is an ungovernable country and the administration there has very little control over vast swathes of it. I am not sure, from the Minister's answer, whether the EU is moving towards a formal EU-Libya migration deal that will involve turning people away from EU countries and resettling them back in their country of origin, which is Libya in this instance? If we are not, that is fine. If we are, we need to know about it and we need to debate it and see the terms of it. That is what I really wanted to get to the nub of. We want to assist Libya and the Libyan people. The EU also wants to do that. Is that just a disguise for stemming the flow of refugees into Europe and southern Europe in particular? I want to hear definitively today if there is a deal on the table. If there is not, that is fine. If there is, do we support it or not?

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The important thing is that the European Union continues to engage. We have already committed certain funds to the matter of capacity building. That will continue and its advancement will be dependent on the political situation in Libya, which is under ongoing review. The Deputy's concern is about the migration situation. It is important to recognise the fact that in 2016 alone, 181 irregular migrants were detected on the central Mediterranean route. The vast majority of these people reached Italy, which has reported an 18% increase in arrivals. This is a very challenging issue and it is important to note the vast majority of these migrants are unlikely to meet the criteria allowing them to qualify for refugee status. In the first instance, we should look towards achieving political stability in Libya. However brief my acknowledgment might be, it is very important to acknowledge the grave role of the Irish Naval Service in the Mediterranean region, with particular reference to tens of thousands of migrants whose lives have been saves by dint of Irish intervention.