Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2016
46. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action Ireland can take to help address the reported war crimes and the continuing humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo and Syria and its surrounds in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30273/16]
View answerI have called repeatedly for those committing crimes against civilians and humanitarians to be held accountable before the International Criminal Court and I repeat that call. There is an urgent need for a credible and independent investigation into claims made by UN SG Ban and others of war crimes committed in Syria.
I continue to press for accountability, both to provide the victims with the hope of redress and in the hope that it will deter those involved from worse atrocities. It is a matter of the gravest concern to me that a permanent member of the Security Council, with a duty to the United Nations to uphold international law and the principles of the UN Charter could condone or engage in the bombardment on Aleppo, which as the EU stated on 17th October may amount to war crimes.
Together with our EU partners, we remain engaged through the EU in the International Syria Support Group.
As I stated in my address last month to the UN, Ireland remains strongly committed to supporting the efforts of the UN to achieve both an end to the crisis and a sustainable peaceful resolution.
Ireland's response to the extraordinary needs of the Syria people over the last five years has been unprecedented, providing more than €62 million in humanitarian assistance to Syria and the region to date. This support has been channelled through a range of partners, including NGOs, UN organisations and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, who are best placed to respond, often by linking with local civil society organisations on the ground to get aid to hard-to-reach areas.
