Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Sheahan's call for a pre-budget debate. I like his idea of introducing a scheme that would kick-start activity in the construction sector. Many Senators have innovative ideas that they would like the Minister for Finance to consider for the forthcoming budget.

My main reason for rising is to ask the Leader a question. In light of the deteriorating situation in Syria, will he organise a discussion on the situation with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade as early as possible? Yesterday, I attended a briefing given by Ms Rafif Jouejati, a Syrian activist and the official representative of the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, the umbrella body for civil society groups in Syria that want a peaceful resolution to the conflict. She painted an horrific picture. We have all read about the 80,000 or more people who had been murdered and the millions who have been displaced. She discussed the horrific and brutal rape of thousands of women, much of which was committed in front of children. She told us of how she had recently visited a camp of 17,000 people. Its sanitation comprised 40 portable toilets and it possessed a single kitchen, which attempted to provide one light meal per day to each of the 17,000.

As parliamentarians, we have a responsibility to highlight the inaction of the international community. Given the fact that we hold the EU Presidency, we must use our influence in the US and put pressure on Russia. The Tánaiste is doing everything possible to keep Syria on the agenda, but we are witnessing the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. We need to highlight this fact in the House. A further debate with the Tánaiste at the earliest opportunity is necessary. With every day that passes, more people are killed or displaced and more women are brutally tortured and raped.