Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sure the Minister of State will join me and many others in expressing our deepest condolences to all those who have been affected by the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. As of last night, the death toll had reached almost 16,000.The World Health Organization estimates that the death toll could go higher than 20,000 in the coming days, with hypothermia adding to the initial damage from the earthquake and devastating health conditions on the ground, as well as the conditions for people who are still trapped. Even though we are moving past the crucial 72 hours in which rescue is most likely, we are still seeing heroic scenes of almost impossible rescues past that time. For that reason I ask the Minister of State to address the search and rescue element of the response, as well as the much greater and wider humanitarian response that will be needed in the weeks and months ahead.

The utter devastation experienced by people in Türkiye and Syria is further compounded by the dire conditions, in particular for refugees and displaced people in the area along the border between Türkiye and Syria and in the north-west of Syria. While I welcome that Ireland has made a commitment to humanitarian assistance, a sum of €2 million is inadequate for a disaster of this historic scale. There are other ways we can help also.

I have spoken with former colleagues from my time in Trócaire, who are now working on the ground with local NGOs on a cross-border basis in Türkiye and Syria providing support to those affected. The local NGOs working in that cross-border way have highlighted that one of the issues is that they cannot bring goods across the border to Syria and are forced to buy goods there where supplies are limited and expensive due to the prolonged conflict. It is crucial that humanitarian aid should be able to be distributed in a cross-border way in this cross-border disaster. Meanwhile, international news organisations also report that aid has been slow to reach those who need it due to the sanctions in Syria. It is important that the sanctions do not get in the way of this crucial humanitarian response. I urge the Minister of State to engage with his Turkish counterparts and his colleagues at EU and UN level to ensure vital aid is able to reach the communities in north-west Syria who are so badly affected.

This disaster compounds existing tragedies. A total of 6.7 million people in Syria are internally displaced and are near the Syria-Türkiye border. There has also been a cholera outbreak since September 2022 in north-west Syria. I urge the Minister of State to engage with the Minister for Health on the possibility of sending medical equipment, given that along with this disaster there are existing problems, which are now compounded by the threat of hypothermia and other weather threats to public health.

This disaster has happened in a place where the social fabric has been damaged by war and issues such as poverty and poor housing were already affecting communities. NGOs on the ground are calling for medical supplies, plastic sheeting, fuel, transport, ambulances, tents, machines to remove the debris and materials to construct reception centres. As well as those who are internally displaced within Syria, both Syria and Türkiye also host refugees from other parts of the world. For example, it is estimated that 57,000 Palestinians are affected by this disaster. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, has called separately for relief to target those who are often the most vulnerable among the vulnerable in a place that is already experiencing a long-term humanitarian crisis. I hope the Minister of State will let me know what Ireland will do and also what engagement we have had with the international community on the response.