I move:
“That Dáil Éireann:
— stands in solidarity with all people displaced by war and conflict seeking international protection in Europe;
— notes that the French Government has dismantled the refugees camp in Calais and has moved the unaccompanied 1,500 children to other areas in France;
— notes with concern that up to 10,000 children are missing and at risk across Europe and that this requires a special humanitarian response from European Union (EU) member states;
— commends the Irish humanitarian response led by the Naval Service’s ongoing search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea and our humanitarian aid programmes;
— notes the establishment of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme in September 2015 to implement the decision of Dáil Éireann to bring 4,000 persons seeking refuge to Ireland and opt in to the EU relocation and resettlement programmes and endorses the stated priority to support the wellbeing of, and to provide safe services for, the protection of unaccompanied minors, children and their families;
— notes the disappointment that there is slow progress to date in actually relocating refugees to Ireland for various reasons;
— commends the work of Irish non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and their volunteers for the support that they have given in addressing the migrant crisis;
— agrees that where practical to prioritise those unaccompanied minors from countries specified in the EU Relocation Programme as those who are likely to be in most need of assistance; and
— notes the ongoing commitment and resources of the French and UK authorities to provide protection to unaccompanied minors from the unofficial camp in Calais in accordance with EU and international law; and
calls on the Government to:
— convey to the French Government the solidarity of the Irish people and of Dáil Éireann in relation to the protection of unaccompanied minors previously living in the unofficial camp in Calais and their readiness to offer assistance if needed;
— work with the French authorities, in accordance with national and international law, to identify up to 200 unaccompanied minors previously living in the unofficial camp in Calais who express the desire to come and stay in Ireland so that they can be relocated as soon as practicable;
— commit to consider requests from the French authorities in accordance with national and international law and in line with Tusla’s capacity and resources, according to criteria prioritising younger children, those who have been bereaved and children at risk of trafficking, underpinned by current best practice;
— provide additional resources to the relevant State services and to expand Tusla’s capacity to increase the intake of unaccompanied minors as part of a whole of Government approach;
— reaffirm their overall commitment, on behalf of the people, to a coherent national programme involving the public and private sectors, communities, NGOs and volunteers, that would help address exceptional humanitarian crises and to establish Ireland as a society of equality, tolerance and diversity; and
— send a report on progress to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on a quarterly basis.
