Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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744. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the international community recognises the extent of the funding available to ISIS and the degree to which that is likely to be used in a negative way globally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28952/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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746. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he, in conjunction with his EU colleagues, can continue to combat the rise of ISIS in the Middle East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28954/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 744 and 746 together.

There can be no complacency about the threat which ISIS and other extremists represent or about the need for urgent international action to confront this threat to us all. This requires a wide range of actions including security responses to deny ISIS the freedom to attack civilians, action by the Iraqi Government to promote inclusivity and ensure real Sunni representation within Iraq’s political system and Government, as well as achieving a political resolution to the Syrian conflict. Humanitarian relief is also a critical component of the response to mass displacement of civilians fleeing the threat from ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq.

Following a special meeting of the European Council in February 2015, EU Heads of State and Government set out a range of priorities to guide further work by the Foreign Affairs and Justice and Home Affairs Councils. These priorities were set out under three headings: ensuring the security of citizens, preventing radicalisation and safeguarding values, and cooperating with our international partners.

The approach being taken by the European Union is consistent with the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) on foreign terrorist fighters which was adopted unanimously on 24 September 2014. Ireland co-sponsored the Resolution along with 103 other States, including all other EU member states.

UN Security Council Resolutions, including 1373, 2170 and 2178 provide a comprehensive framework of measures to address the threat of terrorism including through taking active steps to prevent travel by persons suspected of planning or intending to participate in terrorist acts; cooperation in exchanging information on actions and movement of terrorists; prevention of recruitment and radicalisation of possible members of such groups, and denying financial transfers to individual terrorists and terrorist groups.

Ireland supports the comprehensive approach being taken at UN and EU levels to preventing and countering terrorism. We support the need for measures to be human rights-compliant and in accordance with international law and have stressed the need to tackle underlying factors that contribute to radicalisation and terrorism and in particular the importance of the link between security and development.

Ireland will continue to support all international efforts, including by the EU and UN, to promote a political resolution of the current conflict in both Syria and Iraq. We will also continue to address the humanitarian consequences of the conflict and provide urgent assistance and support to the civilian populations within Syria and Iraq who have been displaced or suffered violations of their rights at the hands of ISIS and other extremists.