Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I utterly condemn those who are taking advantage of vulnerable people, encouraging people to cross the Mediterranean and sending people to their death. I utterly condemn those who are mistreating those seeking help. I stress that Ireland has always used its voice, as a small country on the periphery of what is happening, to speak up for those who need our help, encourage a more comprehensive and holistic response, and encourage burden-sharing. We have always offered support where it is needed, be it through taking in migrants or carrying out search-and-rescue missions, and we will continue to encourage the type of response needed to protect as many people as possible. The ultimate objective should be to get to the root cause and prevent people from crossing in the first instance. That is something that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, will continue to champion in his role and while we hold the Presidency of the Council of Europe. I utterly condemn those who are mistreating people and profiteering from those who are trying to flee to safety. We will continue to do everything we can to support and help the latter.