Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the recent discussions he has had at European Union and or United Nations level on the ongoing massacre of innocent persons in Syria and the need to have a meaningful and lasting ceasefire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10750/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am extremely concerned by the recent increase in violence in Syria, and in particular the vicious siege of Eastern Ghouta, which has cost the lives of hundreds of civilians in recent weeks. The barbarity of the attacks by the Syrian regime on its own people, the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals and schools, and the refusal of the Assad regime to allow humanitarian aid in, or injured civilians to leave, has been shocking, even by the standards of the Syria conflict to date. I can only imagine how terrifying this is for the people there, who have no way to protect themselves or their children, and no way to leave. On numerous occasions in this House, I have condemned the violence in Syria and I reiterate that condemnation in the strongest terms today.

I attended a UN Security Council briefing on this issue in New York two weeks ago, where UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed for an immediate suspension of violence in Eastern Ghouta to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid, and for evacuations. Ireland strongly endorsed this call.

I welcome the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. However, the bombardment of Eastern Ghouta has continued in defiance of this resolution. The international community must redouble its efforts to press for a full and immediate ceasefire, and unhindered humanitarian access to besieged populations in Syria.

EU Foreign Ministers discussed the situation in Syria at their informal meeting on 15 February and again at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 26 February where Ireland added its voice to calls for the immediate and full implementation of the ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council.

Ireland has consistently supported EU sanctions targeting the regime and its supporters, and will continue to do so as long as the situation on the ground justifies these measures.

Ultimately, a long term, sustainable, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led solution to this conflict is needed. Ireland fully supports the UN-led political negotiations to end the conflict based on the 2012 Geneva Communique and UN Security Council resolution 2254, which call for an end to violence; full humanitarian access, a democratic political transition and accountability and transitional justice.

The EU provides direct assistance to the UN-brokered talks in Geneva and has launched, in coordination with the UN, an initiative to develop political dialogue with key actors from the region to identify common ground.

The EU and its Member States have to date mobilised more than €10.4 billion for humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance inside Syria and in neighbouring countries, making the EU the largest single donor to the effort. The EU hosted a donors’ conference for Syria in April 2017 at which pledges totalling €5.6 billion were made, and will host another donors’ conference for Syria in April 2018.

Since 2012, Ireland has contributed over €90 million to the humanitarian effort in response to the conflict in Syria, including €25 million in 2017 alone. Through our annual contributions to EU Institutions, Ireland also supports the EU’s humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. Ireland also supports a broad range of efforts to ensure full legal accountability for all war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Syria.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had at European Union and United Nations level on the need to provide humanitarian aid to the persons most in need in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10751/18]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The humanitarian situation in Syria remains of utmost concern. The conflict continues to have a devastating impact on civilians and the suffering in Eastern Ghouta in particular is appalling. Over 13 million people require humanitarian assistance inside Syria alone and over 5.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries and the wider region. In 2018, the UN estimates that $7.9 billion is required to meet the needs of the most vulnerable within Syria and across the region – the highest appeal worldwide for a single crisis. Ireland is committed to providing ongoing humanitarian assistance in response to the Syria crisis and has contributed over €90 million to the international humanitarian response since 2012, including over €25 million in 2017. Ireland also supports the EU’s humanitarian response. The largest response to the crisis has been from the EU and its Member States, who together have mobilised more than €10.4 billion for humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance inside Syria and in neighbouring countries.

In April this year, the EU will host, in close cooperation with the UN, a second donors’ conference for Syria and the region, focused on sustaining political and financial commitments in response to the crisis. At an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in mid-February, at which Ireland was represented by the Minister of European Affairs, there was broad agreement that a key focus of the conference should be on humanitarian efforts and access in Syria.

At the most recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 26 February, Ireland joined Member States in calling for an immediate ceasefire, and unhindered humanitarian access in Syria. Ireland will continue to raise the importance of sustained and unhindered humanitarian aid as part of overall efforts to respond to the crisis in Syria in relevant EU and UN fora.

Ultimately, an end to violence is urgently needed in order to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Ireland and the EU fully support the UN-led political negotiations to end the conflict based on the 2012 Geneva Communique and UN Security Council resolution 2254, which call for an end to violence; full humanitarian access; a democratic political transition, and accountability and transitional justice.