Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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125. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his discussions with his European Union counterparts regarding the need to assist refugees from the Middle East and Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36986/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The scale of the migration challenge facing the EU is an enormous one requiring a comprehensive and coherent response. The political and economic circumstances behind the displacement of millions of people must be addressed, if the flow of migrants is to be managed. The conflict in Syria (which is the biggest driver behind this year’s migrant flows) has led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. More than 12 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes, of whom over 4 million are refugees in neighbouring countries. More than 250,000 Syrians have been killed since the conflict began. Many thousands more have been displaced from other conflict zones including the Horn of Africa, South Sudan and Afghanistan.

The Foreign Affairs Council of 12 October confirmed the EU’s commitment to mobilise all appropriate instruments and policies to support efforts to address the root causes of migratory flows, including political instability, poor socio-economic development and poor governance. The Council expressed its support for diplomatic efforts by the United Nations to find solutions to the conflicts in Syria and Libya, major drivers behind the mass displacements of people.

The Council emphasised that cooperation with third countries must be a key element of EU efforts to address the migration crisis. To this end the EU is working with Turkey on an Action Plan to better address the migration challenges we both face.

As part of its efforts to develop a comprehensive migration strategy, the EU recently organised two high level conferences. On 08 October a conference focusing on migration flows into the EU through the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Balkans route took place in Luxembourg. It issued a Declaration endorsing a five-pronged approach to addressing the migration challenge. Next week, an international summit focusing on migration will be held in Valletta. EU and African Heads of State and Government are being invited. Ireland will be represented by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Ms. Frances Fitzgerald T.D.

At their meeting on 12 October EU Foreign Ministers called on the international community to provide greater support to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP) and other programmes and agencies assisting refugees. EU leaders have already agreed, at the 23 September European Council, to provide €1 billion in funding to the UNHCR and the WFP.

The EU and its Member States collectively are leading the international response to the refugee crisis. Since 2012, more than €4.2 billion have been mobilised for assistance to Syrians in their country and to refugees who have fled.

Ireland has been supporting the humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. The L.É. Samuel Beckett recently replaced the L.É. Niamh and has already helped to rescue over 748 people. In total, the Irish Naval Service has now rescued 7,857 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea under the auspices of the ongoing rescue operations. It is expected that the L.E. Samuel Beckett will be deployed until at least 30 November.