Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leader for putting the motion on Syria on the Order Paper. We will be taking it straight after the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate. I thank all colleagues who signed up to that. Every political party grouping has signed up. I know Senator Boyhan's name is to be added as well. Any other Independent colleagues who wish to have their names added should do so. It is important that the Seanad speaks with one voice on this hugely important humanitarian crisis. We all share such immense concern and horror at the unfolding events in Syria. The fact that we see an eight-hour cessation announced by the Syrian Government with its Russian backers is of very little comfort to the besieged population in Aleppo. We are all conscious that there are other besieged civilian populations across Syria, not just in Aleppo. We have seen horrific bombardments of medical facilities, aid convoys and civilian populations, with hundreds of people killed this week alone in Aleppo. I raised this issue at the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence, as did other colleagues. We joined in calls that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade should express in the strongest possible terms his condemnation of the Syrian Government's treatment of its people and his condemnation of those who back them, particularly the Russian Government. I will be communicating directly with the Russian ambassador to let him know that the Seanad has passed this motion. I ask that the Leader and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to do the same. I also told the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, that this motion was being passed in the Seanad today.

Last night, we saw particularly strong language from the French and German leaders, Mr. François Hollande and Ms Angela Merkel, against Russia, speaking of war crimes having been committed in Aleppo. At the EU Council meeting this afternoon, it is likely that further sanctions against Russia will be on the agenda given this very strong language and the ratcheting up of pressure on Russia that we have seen from France and Germany, in particular. I hope that we will see the Government support that. I put that to the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, at the committee meeting this morning. A number of us also asked the Minister that Ireland take a position in voting against Russian inclusion on the UN Human Rights Committee when that comes up. We are awaiting a response on that.

Finally, I ask the Leader to arrange a debate in the House on migration and Ireland's response to the Syria crisis in terms of our reception of Syrian refugees. It has been very slow to date. Again, that is a matter we raised at the committee this morning. The Minister acknowledged that while the resettlement targets are being met in the resettlement of Syrian refugees coming through Lebanon, we have seen real delays in the process of welcoming refugees here from Greece and particularly from Italy. There have been, as the Minister accepted, bureaucratic delays and, therefore, the relocation programme has effectively been stalled. We are nowhere near the admittance of the 4,000 refugees we committed to welcoming here. I ask the Leader for a debate on that with, more appropriately, the Minister for Justice and Equality in early course in this House.