Vol. 779 No. 1
6. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed the decade of centennial celebrations with the Northern Executive and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44889/12]
The decade of commemorations is a regular feature of discussions at all levels with the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government.
I most recently discussed the issue with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers MP, at our meeting of 17 September 2012. This useful exchange of views built on previous constructive dialogue with her predecessor at the Northern Ireland Office, Owen Paterson MP.
I have discussed the decade of commemorations with the First Minister, Peter Robinson MLA, and the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MLA, including a substantial discussion on the issue at a collective meeting on 16 January 2012. I also invited the First Minister to Iveagh House in March to deliver the Edward Carson lecture. This was one of a number of initiatives supported by my Department to mark the centenary of the Home Rule crisis and the signing of the Ulster Covenant, which also included exhibitions on the signatories of the Covenant in Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan and an academic conference in King’s College London.
My colleague, the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, is also in regular contact on commemorations with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Carál Ní Chuilín MLA, and with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office.
There is a common view among all those with whom I have discussed the issue that the anniversaries arising in the course of the decade should be marked in a manner which respects historical accuracy, promotes mutual respect and understanding and is tolerant of other views. The Government is also committed to ensuring the all-Ireland and east-west nature of our shared history is acknowledged in the course of the decade, and will continue to work with partners in the Northern Ireland Executive and the British Government in this regard.
I am conscious also that many commemorations over the coming decade will have particular significance for the Irish abroad. During my recent visit to the United States, I took the opportunity to meet with a number of organisations to ensure widest participation in the coming decade
I thank the Tánaiste for his reply and I welcome the fact that considerable preparatory work is being done at political and official level with regard to commemorations during this decade.
The words "respect" and "tolerance" stood out in the Tánaiste's reply. It is important that we have respect and tolerance on both sides. We should not lose our shared history. As an Ulster republican, I am proud of our fight for freedom and of the many achievements in the State that resulted from the activities of that period. Equally, as an Ulster person and an Irish person, I respect the pride that people of a different tradition take in their story. What we share is more important than what separates us. That must be uppermost in our thoughts as we prepare for these commemorations.
The period was a decisive one in Irish history. It was also a divisive period. The first major commemoration, of the Ulster Covenant on 29 September, passed off without major incident. As I said at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade last week, some deplorable incidents took place on that occasion when there was aggressive playing of tunes - one could not call it music - outside churches. I hope we can get away from that type of behaviour which could be provocative. None of us wants to see violence on the streets again. We had three nights of trouble in Belfast at the end of August. We do not want to see a repeat of that.
I agree with Deputy Smith. In this decade, which is already under way, we will commemorate the events that shaped our independence in this State and shaped the history of the island for the past 100 years. Respect, mutual understanding and reconciliation must be part of our remembrance of our shared history. It is also important that we recognise that the history of that period is not only one of conflict, politics and constitutions. We must also commemorate major developments such as the labour movement, the women's movement and the cultural renaissance of those years.
With regard to 29 September, my Department has maintained close contact with the Northern Ireland authorities in relation to commemorative events. We are present on the ground and monitoring what is happening. I pay tribute to the leadership shown by the First Minister, Peter Robinson MLA, and the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness MLA, in the period leading up to 29 September. I share Deputy Smith's appreciation of the fact that those events passed off peacefully.
These commemorations must be inclusive rather than exclusive. People must engage in dialogue. Before 29 September, a critical situation was averted by the dialogue initiated by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister with the communities that were involved and by talking about the difficult issues that had to be overcome. This is the lesson that must be learned with regard to other commemorations. Everyone must be involved.
The Tánaiste is right. The commemorations are not only about conflict. They are about the history of how we came to where we are, as Irish people. That is as important as the conflict. We have commemorated the Ulster Covenant. A Home Rule covenant was signed about that time. There will not be difficulties in commemorating that. Very important commemorations will take place and we need to involve all sections of our community and give them a say and a feeling of belonging to the commemorations.
Being as inclusive as possible, are there proposals to have some North-South events that would be inclusive of the whole island? The more work and partnership there is between organisations, administrations and statutory agencies North and South, the better.
Respect, tolerance and inclusivity are important in marking these events. The Tánaiste has reminded us of the renaissance in literature, Irish language and cultural activities. It would be worth promoting those and highlighting the achievements of the period and how they have shaped our language and literature and our place in the world.
This year marks the commemoration of the Home Rule Bill and the Ulster Covenant. I know there were concerns, particularly ahead of the events in Balmoral in April and, more recently, on 29 September, and I am very pleased the events passed peacefully. I commend all those who took an active role in working with communities and different interests to ensure that was the case. In a way that has set a headline for the commemoration of events. The events must be commemorated in an inclusive way. I am very conscious of the North-South dimension of all this, which is why I have discussed it with the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. The matter is part of our North-South dialogue. It is the reason I took the initiative to hold an event in Iveagh House commemorating Edward Carson - the Edward Carson lecture. He was a Dublin man who was born around the corner from St. Stephen's Green, and his associations were with Dublin. The First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, MLA, delivered the lecture. It was a very inclusive event. Representatives of all political parties, North and South, were present, along with a large number of historians and people with an interest in the period.
That is the way we should move forward. It is about historical accuracy, respect and remembering. However, it is also about moving forward. In doing so it is important that we widen the canvas. While great events such as the struggle for independence were taking place, people were getting on with their lives. It is important in remembering what happened 100 years ago that we put it in the context of the way in which people lived at that time and the suffering they underwent, be it as a result of losing loved ones in the Great War, in the struggle itself or simply because of the poverty and ill health that was endemic on both parts of the island.
7. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the ongoing threats to trade unionists, civil society leaders, and human rights and defence lawyers, his views regarding the recent 50% cut in the petrol allowance that is given by the Colombian Government in order that trade union and civil society leaders can use protective vehicles. [44811/12]
The fuel allowance scheme referred to by the Deputy is a scheme administered by the National Protection Unit, which operates under the Colombian Ministry of the Interior. The purpose of the fuel allowance scheme is to facilitate trade union leaders and human rights defenders using protective vehicles as they carry out their difficult and dangerous work. It is my understanding that the number of human rights defenders covered by the National Protection Unit has increased and that this increase has put pressure on the allocation currently in place for the programmes it manages. This has in turn had the impact of reducing the resources available for the fuel allowance scheme. I encourage the participants involved in the protection programme and the Colombian Government to continue to engage in discussions so as to ensure that this and other aspects of the national protection programme operate effectively.
Ireland and our EU partners believe that the safety of human rights defenders and the protection of their rights must be ensured in Colombia, as elsewhere. Support for human rights defenders is therefore a strong element of our dialogue with the Colombian authorities. When I met earlier this year with Colombia’s Vice President, I raised with him the concerns of the Irish Government about reports of human rights abuses and the dangers faced by human rights activists and trade unionists. I urged that the Government of Colombia take all measures necessary to gain the trust and confidence of all of its people in order to support the peace process there.
The decision by the Colombian Government in 2009 to treble the budget of the protection programme for human rights defenders to US$47 million was a positive development. I also welcome the establishment last year of the National Protection Unit to manage initiatives aimed at the protection of human rights defenders, trade union representatives, witnesses and other vulnerable groups in Colombian society. I have asked the Irish Ambassador accredited to Colombia to monitor these initiatives and to keep me informed of developments.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
In terms of financial support for sustainable development in Colombia, including with regard to the particular vulnerability of human rights defenders, Irish Aid funding of some €3.5 million has been provided since 2009 to support the work of civil society organisations and Irish missionaries in Colombia. This funding has had a particular focus on human rights, including human rights defenders, and peace-building. Together with EU and UN partners, Ireland will continue to support the efforts of the people and Government of Colombia to bring an end to violence in their country and to secure a sustainable peace which tackles the various social and economic elements underlying the conflict and improves progressively human rights standards.
Colombia is at a crossroads. The peace talks were supposed to start today, but we are now told it will be tomorrow. I thought the Minister might take this question with Question No. 42, which refers to the Patriotic March, involving elements of Colombian society coming together on this issue. I recently met with groups from the region and their concern is that with these key elements coming together for the peace talks they are worried about the signal that will be sent if somebody is injured or killed as a result of the cut in that allowance. The Minister referred to the increase in the number of people under this protection programme. However, that is also a result of the talks.
There is tension within Colombian society about these talks. Those who speak out against the Columbian Government, be it a supreme court judge, a human rights activist or a trade unionist, are labelled as supporters of the guerillas, and that in itself puts one in a situation. Any section of society that is vocal on human rights issues is usually labelled that way. I am worried about the impact this cut might have on the historic talks due to be initiated tomorrow. My concern is the signal it will send. Perhaps Ireland, through its ambassador, would wish the participants in the talks well. It is also important, due to the sensitivity of the talks and the pressure as a result, that nobody should use the talks as an excuse to attack those people who are protected under this system.
The importance of protection for trade unionists and human rights defenders features prominently in our dialogue with the Colombian authorities. I raised it with the Vice President when I met him earlier this year. Our ambassador accredited to Colombia has also raised the issue, and that is ongoing. In the EU context, both Ireland and the EU believe that ensuring the safety of human rights defenders and protecting their rights is important. The issue of human rights and the need for Colombia to make further progress is a prominent aspect of the European Union's dialogue with Colombia, particularly in the context of the human rights clauses of the free trade agreement. There is an ongoing, structured human rights dialogue between the EU and Colombia. The seventh session of that took place in Bogotá in July last and in the course of that dialogue the EU raised, as one of its primary concerns, the treatment of human rights defenders.
I am aware of the establishment of the National Patriotic Council and the Patriotic March which took place in April to mark its foundation. The CPM movement is a group of civil society groups and activists and describes its focus as being that of achieving peace and social transformation through democratic means. The Irish Government supports representatives of civil society in Colombia in their efforts to address the legacy of conflict through democratic and peaceful means. Indeed, since 2009 the Irish Government, through Irish Aid, has provided non-governmental organisations, NGOs, and Irish missionaries working in Colombia with funding of approximately €3.5 million for projects in Colombia.
I note the Minister's comments about the role of the EU in this regard. Given that Colombia is at this historic crossroads, perhaps there is something the EU can do in this regard. Some people see the free trade agreement, FTA, with the European Union as legitimising the human rights record in that country. People want to see concrete results in that area. I believe the cut in the allowance sends a bad signal, particularly in the atmosphere there at present. Perhaps the Minister would raise it again with his colleagues in the EU and also through the ambassador. This could potentially be a negative step in view of the historic nature of those discussions.
I agree that these discussions are historic. We will pay close attention to what takes place in the discussions in Oslo. I have asked our ambassador accredited to Colombia to continue to raise these issues with the Colombian authorities and to report to me on his observations, conclusions and whatever responses he receives.
In so far as the human rights situation is concerned in Colombia and the difficulties faced by trade unionists and human rights defenders, these are a priority for our discussions with Colombia and the European Union's discussions with Colombia.
On the free trade agreement, there are those who ask if there should be free trade agreements with countries with human rights issues but the existence of free trade agreements strengthens the position of the European Union to engage on human rights issues. Indeed, there are specific human rights clauses built into the free trade agreements and as far as Ireland is concerned they must be implemented and honoured.
8. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide a report on the newly formed Ireland Saudi Arabia Business Council; and the expected economic benefits of this council; if he will be raising the issue of domestic human rights abuses with the Saudi Arabian Government. [44809/12]
The Government is committed to growing Ireland’s exports in all foreign markets, and expanding our trade footprint outside our main trading partners. As part of the Government’s trade promotion strategy, Saudi Arabia has been identified as a priority market with significant potential for Irish companies. Currently, Ireland’s trade with Saudi Arabia amounts to almost €900 million per annum. I very much welcome the establishment of the Irish-Saudi Arabia Business Council, as a joint venture between it and the council of Saudi chambers of commerce and industry. I believe it will provide an avenue for practical and useful assistance to Irish companies seeking to break into the Saudi market. The council will also offer real potential to further develop trade links and enhance business opportunities for companies in both countries.
The Irish-Saudi Arabia Business Council was formally launched at a ceremony in Riyadh in June attended by the Irish co-chair of the council, Mr. Joseph Lynch, and his Saudi counterpart, Mr. Abdullah Al-Mohty, president of the council of Saudi chambers of commerce and industry. I understand that preparations are continuing for holding the inaugural session of the council either later this year or in early 2013.
Ireland and our EU partners have an active discussion with Saudi Arabia within the framework of the EU-Gulf co-operation council on a wide range of issues, including human rights. The EU also regularly raises with Saudi Arabia its concerns about the use of the death penalty in the kingdom and encourages the Saudi authorities to further consider ways to reduce the application of the death penalty that could lead to a de facto moratorium on executions.
I am not familiar with the role of the Irish-Saudi Arabia Business Council. Will Irish businesswomen be involved in the council? I accept it is important to open new markets and the Tánaiste mentioned the €900 million of trade but we must also take into account the human rights situation of citizens not just in Saudi Arabia but in Bahrain, where the Saudi Government is the power behind the throne. The sectarian nature of society in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia is also worrying. How is that taken into account when opening up these accounts? When sectarianism was a factor in governing the North, many foreign Governments and companies took the McBride principles into account. Do we work to any set of principles when dealing with regimes in this part of the world?
In our relations with any country, be it Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, we look at the totality of the relationship; it is never based on one issue. Our relationship with Saudi Arabia encompasses a range of issues including both trade promotion and human rights. The total level of trade with Saudi Arabia stands at €900 million annually and that is very much tilted in Ireland's favour. Our merchandise exports amounted to €527 million and service exports amounted to €303 million in 2011. Imports from Saudi Arabia amounted to €51 million so the balance of trade is very much in Ireland's favour. There is significant growth for Irish exports to Saudi Arabia and our trade with Saudi Arabia grew by 18% last year. The Irish-Saudi Arabia Business Council is an independent body that receives no funding from the State and is the coming together of the chambers of commerce to promote trade and business activity between the two countries. The growth of that trade activity does not compromise or change our view of human rights issues, which are universal. The building of trade relations gives us an enhanced opportunity to engage on human rights with the countries concerned.
Are any Irish women on the council? How does it operate when there are restrictions in Saudi Arabia surrounding women's involvement? The Tánaiste says these are two chambers of commerce coming together so I presume Irish women are involved. Are they full members when they travel as part of any delegation?
The Tánaiste is probably aware the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, was in China recently and she raised women's rights while she was there. She was right to do so. Sadly she has not done the same in Saudi Arabia and it would be a good lead on the part of the Irish Government to raise the issue because the role of women in Saudi Arabia leaves so much to be desired. It would be great if the Irish Government took a lead and challenged the Saudis on this.
The Minister's answer is disappointing. It is heavily loaded in favour of the money with very little adherence to the concerns raised about human rights and the systematic discrimination experienced by women in particular and the Shia minority, and the stifling of peaceful protest by the regime. Clearly the Saudi regime benefits enormously from its export and import relationship with Ireland, it is not paying us the money for nothing; the product we send over is good so we should use any links we have to highlight the disgraceful nature of the system there. I am not getting any impression from the Tánaiste's remarks that is happening but the money seems to be a lot more important than any human rights abuses.
Our trade with Saudi Arabia is important. It is worth €900 million at a time when we have a huge number of people out of work in this country. We have suffered an economic difficulty and must trade our way out of that. That means we must export and this is an important export market. It is overwhelmingly in our favour, running at €850 million in exports and €50 million in imports. Our commitment to human rights and the rights of women is among the best in the world and we do not equivocate on that or compromise on it. Those rights are universal and it is our view that expanding our trade relationship provides us with an opportunity to engage with countries on human rights issues.
9. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to reports from German news organisation, Der Speigel, which states that Germany is providing military submarines to Israel, which are capable of firing nuclear armed cruise missiles; and if he has raised this matter with the German Government. [44808/12]
Germany has, for historical reasons, a particularly strong commitment to the security of Israel. The Israeli navy operates three submarines bought from Germany, with a further two understood to be under construction. The report in Der Spiegel alleges that these submarines have been adapted to carry nuclear armed missiles. The Government has no means of assessing the truth of these allegations. Israel, of course, has consistently refused either to confirm or to deny that it possesses nuclear weapons. EU member states operate one of the strictest export control regimes for military equipment anywhere in the world, using a set of criteria set out in a 2008 Common Position. Each member state is responsible for adhering to these rules, and I expect them to do so.
Ireland strongly supports, and is working to advance, UN efforts to achieve a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. A major conference on this objective is due to take place in December in follow-up to the resolution agreed, and in the negotiation of which Ireland played a prominent role, at the 2010 NPT review conference. I hope very much that this can become a reality and that no Middle Eastern state will retain such weapons.
My concern about the report is that we see a further ratcheting up of the militarisation of the conflict in the region. The underlying worry is nuclear weapons. There are sanctions against the Iranian authorities in regard to the potential of nuclear weapons. There is a strong view around the world that the Israeli Government has nuclear weapons. I do not know the position of the Irish Government and whether it believes the Israeli Government has such weapons. Why would the Israeli Government need submarines? Will the submarines be used to establish further the illegal embargo in the state of Palestine? Does the Tánaiste believe such a military deal should have happened considering Israel's constant breaking of international law and human rights? Recently, 79 parliamentarians from across this island signed a petition opposing the blockage of Gaza. The Tánaiste is on record as saying the blockade should be lifted. The Israeli Government receives €3 billion worth of aid from the US, most of which is military. That the German Government appears to be supplying the submarines is ratcheting up the conflict in the area. Does the Tánaiste share those worries?
I do share worries about the militarisation that is taking place in the Middle East. That is why we support the conference on a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in the Middle East which is due to take place in December. The conference facilitator, the Finnish Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Jaakko Laajava, has undertaken substantial consultations with all the states in the region in advance of convening the conference. These consultations are ongoing. It was Ireland that brokered the deal at the 2010 review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty which set out a number of practical steps to implement the 1995 resolution on a zone free of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in the Middle East. We are available and committed to assisting Mr. Laajava in any way we can in the lead up to and during the conference. The European Union will arrange a seminar in November as part of its activities in support of the conference, and Ireland will be represented and actively participate. There are European Union rules and a Common Position which define the rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment by member states. I expect all EU states will honour the terms of that Common Position.
While I am conscious the issue arises from a report in a news publication, I would appreciate it, if the opportunity arises when the Tánaiste meets his German colleague, if the Tánaiste would express concern in respect of the report on the basis of the ratcheting up of conflict in the area. I wish the December conference well. This part of the world is crying out for solutions. I accept the Government has been positive in its role in this area. This is a retrograde step by the German Government. Whatever about the historical involvement of the Germans supporting the Israelis in respect of their existence, this is a negative step. I am appalled they have gone down this route and that the submarine will be used as part of the illegal embargo. I have no doubt once submarines are commissioned, they will be used, possibly against Irish citizens trying to break the embargo.
I am sure the Tánaiste is aware that by 2003, only three of the 193 member states of the UN were not signatories to the nuclear non-proliferation agreement, The three who were not signatories were Israel, Pakistan and India, all of whom possess nuclear weapons and who have been rewarded rather than punished for same. Israel receives more American economic and military aid per capita than any other state, yet the watchdogs of the International Atomic Energy Agency appear to turn a blind eye to it.
It is frightening that Germany does not appear to be concerned about the consequences of its policy in providing hardware that could be used for atomic purposes. Under Germany's own guidelines, it is not supposed to export to a state where there is a crisis. Surely, we must agree there is a crisis in the Middle East and Israel is at the centre of it. The Minister said he is not in favour of a boycott of Israeli goods, but he is in favour of boycotting Iran. Despite its denials, we know Israel is in possession of nuclear weapons, but we do not know if Iran is in possession of such weapons. I do not say we should not boycott Iran, but there should be a boycott of Israel. Deputy Smith made a similar call today. In 2009, the Tánaiste called for a suspension of the Euro Mediterranean Agreement with Israel in view of the Goldstone report. It would be good to see some consistency. It is not good enough for us to turn a blind eye to what Germany is doing.
No one is turning a blind eye to anything. There is a European Union Common Position in respect of the export from all the member states of equipment for military purposes. The armaments companies in the European Union must comply with one of the strictest export control regimes in the world. There are eight separate criteria. They take into account the effect that any arms transfer could have on the country of final destination. The factors assessed include the human rights situation on the ground, the existence of tensions or armed conflict, the preservation of regional peace, the question of whether the export could affect sustainable development of the importing state, the risk of exported military technology or equipment being diverted within the buyer country or re-exported under undesirable conditions. The operation of that Common Position is kept under constant review by member states in light of changing circumstances and individual buyer countries. Ireland strongly supports the Common Position and we expect it to be fully implemented by all member states. I assure Deputies that, in our discussions with our EU partners, I will continue to make that position clear. The Common Position applies to all member states. When the EU has agreed a Common Position, all member states ought to comply with it.
10. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the need for a fresh UN mandate to help end the Syrian civil war; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44896/12]
41. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on current measures being considered at EU and UN level to address the ongoing crisis in Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44911/12]
50. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline any discussions he has had with the Turkish ambassador regarding the prospect of a conflict between Syria and Turkey; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44898/12]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 41 and 50 together.
The crisis in Syria dominated discussions when I attended the UN General Assembly in New York last month. I made clear when I addressed the General Assembly on 28 September that what is happening in Syria represents an affront to humanity with indiscriminate violence, which is not just confined to one side, taking place on an appalling scale.
There is a widespread feeling of despair and frustration at the continuing violence and the seeming inability of the United Nations, and in particular the Security Council, to act decisively and stop the slaughter of the Syrian people. I continue to believe that a strongly worded Security Council resolution under Chapter VII imposing a comprehensive arms embargo remains an essential step to halt the violence and cut off the flow of arms.
The immediate priority must remain the earliest possible ceasefire and the initiation of some form of political process leading to transition. Ireland and its EU partners continue strongly to support the mission of the UN-Arab League joint special envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, who clearly needs the active co-operation and support of all in the region and major international actors, such as Russia, if he is to have any chance of succeeding in his mission.
Syria was extensively discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council which I attended in Luxembourg on Monday. The EU has, of course, been playing a prominent role in efforts to stop the violence in Syria and in providing urgently needed humanitarian assistance. The Council adopted strongly worded conclusions once again warning about the dangers of further militarisation of the conflict, expressing full support for the endeavours of the joint special representative, Mr. Brahimi, and recalling the moral imperative to step up assistance in order to alleviate the suffering of the thousands of refugees and internally displaced Syrians.
The Council also adopted a series of further sanctions in a continuing effort to compel the Assad regime to halt the bloody repression it is inflicting on the Syrian people. The Council also emphasised the importance of ensuring full accountability for the very many crimes and serious human rights abuses committed in Syria. Nationally, Ireland continues to support the many calls which have been made for the situation in Syria to be referred by the Security Council to the International Criminal Court as the best means of guaranteeing accountability.
A major preoccupation in the Council’s discussions was the heightened tensions now existing in the region, following the appalling shelling of the Turkish border town of Akcakale on 3 October by the Syrian army and the subsequent impounding of a Syrian Airways aircraft at Ankara Airport last week. I have already strongly condemned the attack on Akcakale in a statement I issued in my role as OSCE chair on 4 October where I urged the Syrian Government to end all violence and to respect fully the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all neighbouring countries. I also offered my condolences to the families of those killed and to the Turkish people.
I have not had an opportunity to discuss with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mr. Davutoglu, or with the Turkish ambassador the deplorable attack on Akcakale or the recent escalation in tensions between Turkey and Syria. However, what is clearly most required at present is restraint on all sides and a recognition that the crisis within Syria will only deepen if it is allowed spread out into the wider region. This was also very much the sentiment at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg and it is a message that I know the EU High Representative, Baroness Ashton, and all EU representatives, including myself, will continue to emphasise in our contacts with all sides involved in the conflict.
I thank the Tánaiste for his comprehensive reply. I welcome his statement at the United Nations General Assembly and his pursuing of this issue with his colleagues at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council. Every conflict is frightening, but the awful tragedies, including the mass murder of so many people, we see on our television screens every day is particularly frightening. I understand that approximately 30,000 people have been killed in just over a year since the protests erupted. The following quotation is attributed to the international charity Save the Children:
As Syria’s civil war has intensified, thousands of children have died in brutal attacks and many more have been injured, traumatised or forced to flee their homes.
Boys and girls continue to be killed, maimed and tortured. These appalling violations against children must stop and those carrying them out held to account.
As there is only one minute remaining for the Tánaiste to reply, I ask the Deputy to ask his question.
I agree with what the Tánaiste is doing and as outlined he has used every forum available to him to highlight from an Irish and EU perspective the need for involvement by the United Nations, which seems to be paralysed in dealing with this conflict given the divisions in the Security Council. I ask him to ensure that this issue, which is of the utmost importance, is addressed in every way in the fora available to him.
It is very difficult to quantify the number of people who have been killed owing to the restricted access. I have seen figures of 22,000 and up to 30,000, as the Deputy mentioned. Some 300,000 Syrians have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries. Approximately 1.5 million Syrians in Syria are in need of sanitation, food and medical aid. I discussed the humanitarian situation in Syria with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, when I attended the UN General Assembly in New York. Immediately after this session today, I will meet the UN Under Secretary General, Baroness Valerie Amos, who has responsibility for the delivery and co-ordination of humanitarian aid and we will be discussing what needs to be done there. Ireland has contributed approximately €2.25 million to various UN and NGO bodies which are working on delivering aid.
The Minister of State, Deputy Costello, went to the region in August. He was in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan and saw at first hand the conditions under which people fleeing Syria are living. We are committed to working with the UN and humanitarian agencies to deliver humanitarian aid to those people, but of course we need to get an end to the violence and a resolution to the problem. To do that I believe we need a UN Security Council resolution. Last Sunday before the Foreign Affairs Council we had a very frank discussion with the Russian Foreign Minister about what needs to be done to secure a UN Security Council resolution.
