Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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36. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will detail any discussions he has had regarding the tragic deaths of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea; if there is assistance that Ireland may provide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19173/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The appalling tragedies in the Mediterranean are the result of continuing conflict and underdevelopment across the neighbouring region. Already this year more than 1,800 people are known to have drowned attempting the crossing to Europe, compared to just over 400 over the same period in 2014. It is essential that the European Union play its part in tackling this humanitarian challenge, in all its dimensions.

The Foreign Affairs Council, which I attended in Brussels on 20 April, focused on the situation, including in an emergency joint meeting with the Justice and Home Affairs Council. The meetings took place just after the tragedy off Lampedusa in which over 800 people died. The Council addressed the crisis again yesterday, 18 May, following up on the Special Meeting of the European Council which the Taoiseach attended on 23 April, and adopted a Council Decision to establish a European Union military operation in the Southern Central Mediterranean. The Mission will be called EUNAVFOR MED and will implement its mandate in several phases. In discussions to date Ireland has insisted that the EUNAVFOR MED operation should be carried out in full accordance with international law.

Given the origins of this crisis, it is clear that there needs to be an immediate response at sea, to which Ireland is contributing directly by providing a naval vessel to participate in search and rescue operations. However we also need to respond in the wider region by addressing root causes. Political solutions are essential. In the meantime, there is a huge need for increased humanitarian assistance, which Ireland is providing. In recent weeks, we have provided funding of €1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross for its work with migrants in Libya.

More broadly, Ireland's support for people affected by the Syrian crisis will total €41 million for the four years to the end of 2015. We have also provided almost €36 million in humanitarian funding to Somalia since 2008. To date in 2015, €1 million has been approved for the UN's Common Humanitarian Fund in Somalia, with a further €1.7 million to be provided to our NGO partners for their lifesaving work on the ground.

We are continuing to review the assistance which Ireland can provide in terms of the immediate humanitarian effort and long-term development needs.