Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This month marks the tenth anniversary of the start of the Syrian revolution, one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our time, and an horrific tragedy beyond comprehension. The Irish presence in Syria of Oxfam, World Vision, Concern, Trócaire and GOAL make us all incredibly proud.

I commend Councillor Janet Horner of the Green Party and each and every member of Dublin City Council, which recently agreed a statement and read it into the record of a council meeting. Moves are already under way to read a similar type of statement into the record of my home county council in Kildare. It is a powerful display and demonstration of solidarity and unity. I would like to read some of it into the record of this House:

[We express] ... our deep sorrow at reaching the milestone of a decade of devastating conflict in Syria which has displaced ... million[s] [of] people, and forced many to take perilous, often fatal journeys to seek refuge.

We regret that our collective response across Europe has been inadequate in the face of this humanitarian catastrophe. We extend our thanks to those who have provided life-saving humanitarian assistance in Syria, and in the region. We also thank those who have assisted Syrians fleeing conflict and persecution who have sought asylum here, in Europe and across the globe.

We commend and encourage Ireland's continued funding to support the humanitarian needs of all those still living in crisis and uncertainty, as well as Ireland's important voice in ensuring that the rights and dignity of those in need are not forgotten.

We welcome Ireland's willingness, in the UN Security Council, to co-facilitate international negotiations to maintain humanitarian access in northern Syria where 2.7 million people internally displaced by the conflict are in desperate need of such assistance.

And we welcome and thank those Syrians who have made a home in Dublin [and in Ireland] for their endurance, their contribution to this ... country, our communities and our shared culture. [That richness should be noted.]

And we, united ... across our political differences, pledge that [we] should always be a place of welcome and sanctuary to those fleeing violence and conflict.