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Foreign Conflicts

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021

Wednesday, 15 September 2021

Questions (359)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

359. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) concerning the refoulement of Syrians to Syria; his plans to address the issues raised in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43518/21]

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Written answers

I have taken careful note of the Amnesty International Report entitled ‘You are going to your Death; violations against Syrian refugees returning to Syria’. The report contains some deeply concerning accounts of the explicit targeting of refugees returning to Syria.  

Ireland believes, and has stated publicly on many occasions, that all returns to Syria must be safe, voluntary and dignified. Addressing the United Nations Security Council on 20 January, Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the UN stated that 'millions of Syrians remain as refugees, and the conditions necessary for them to return, in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner are far from being achieved’. This clearly remains the position.

The EU and its Member States recognise and are bound by the principle of non-refoulement, as enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Both Ireland and the EU regularly make that position clear and remind other States of their obligations.

At the most recent meeting of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Executive Committee, in October 2020, the EU recognised the importance of safeguarding the principle of non-refoulement. In my address at the same meeting, I reiterated that defending the norms and commitments enshrined in the 1951 Geneva Conventions remains of paramount importance.

At the UN Human Rights Council in July, Ireland co-sponsored a resolution which condemned the grave situation of human rights across Syria and demanded that the Syrian authorities meet their responsibility to protect the Syrian population and to respect and protect the human rights of all persons within its jurisdiction.

Ireland's response to the Syria crisis has been its largest single response to any humanitarian emergency. Ireland has provided over €190 million in humanitarian assistance since the start of the crisis, including €23 million in 2021. A significant proportion of this funding is targeted towards supporting Syrian refugee populations in neighbouring countries. Ireland also supports refugees at the global level through core funding to the IOM and UNHCR.

UN Security Council Resolution 2254 sets the framework for a comprehensive political solution to the Syria conflict, addressing the underlying causes of the conflict and of the refugee and internal displacement crisis. Ireland strongly supports UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and I urge the Syrian government to engage fully and in good faith with his efforts to find a lasting political solution within the framework set out in Resolution 2254.

Question No. 360 answered with Question No. 345.
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