Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

440. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which child soldiers are being used in various conflicts worldwide at present; the efforts the international community continues to take to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38714/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The recruitment of child soldiers remains a serious problem with tens of thousands of children recruited into conflicts around the world.

EU policy is set out in the Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, as revised in 2008. These aim to persuade Governments and other actors to fully respect international humanitarian law and human rights law which protects children from armed conflict. The Guidelines commit the EU to address the impact of armed conflict on children and to hold accountable those who recruit child soldiers.

The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1261 on the impact of armed conflict on children in 1999 and since then it has established tools to strengthen child protection and to support international standards, including a systematic and comprehensive monitoring and reporting mechanism.

In December 1996, the UN General Assembly created the mandate of the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict to advocate for the protection and well-being of children affected by armed conflict and to develop best practices to address the recruitment of child soldiers. The UN Secretary-General also issues an annual report on children and armed conflict which examines both trends and specific country situations, listing all armed groups that recruit and use children.

Ireland is a member of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations in New York, a network of 47 Member States who support the continued focus on Children and Armed Conflict.

Ireland continues to combat the use of child soldiers through our development programme, Irish Aid, with a focus on addressing the socio-economic causes that contribute to this situation, through providing access to education, skills and livelihood opportunities.

Ireland strongly supports the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict and will actively engage in the Children and Armed Conflict Working Group when it assumes membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in January 2021.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

441. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he continues to encourage colleagues at EU and UN levels to address the issue of the ever-increasing number of refugees who are forced to risk their lives while attempting improve their quality of life and economic well-being; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38715/20]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland is a long-standing advocate for these issues, including at the EU and the UN. For example, in 2016, Ireland co-facilitated the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants. This Summit agreed the New York Declaration, which led to the Global Compact for Refugees and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

In October, Minister Coveney addressed the Executive Committee of the UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency, underlining Ireland’s strong support for the work it does for displaced persons throughout the world. In 2020, Ireland is providing over €18.5 million in funding to UNHCR, the highest level in more than a decade.

Both within the EU and the UN, a distinction is made between refugees and migrants and it is the latter group whose primary motive is to improve the quality of life and economic well-being. Ireland has repeatedly called for greater solidarity and burden-sharing among EU Member States in dealing with the wider issue of migration.

The conflict in Syria has caused a major refugee and migration crisis. This year Ireland will disburse €25 million in assistance, including support to refugees in neighbouring countries. Ireland is also party to the EU response to the Syria migration crisis, contributing over €38 million. Last month, following the devastating fire in the refugee centre in Lesbos, Greece, Ireland announced a commitment to resettle up to 50 people in families.

Ireland is also working closely with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the leading inter-governmental organisation in the field of migration. Our financial support has been increased to €1 million in 2020.

To address some of the causes of irregular mass migration Ireland supports the EU’s Trust Fund for Africa which aims to address irregular migration from Africa by improving employment opportunities and strengthening resilience of communities including refugees and other displaced people. Ireland is the third-highest per capita EU Member State donor with a total contribution of €15.8 million.