Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2016
478. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will reconsider his support to the EU's current approach to the refugee crisis given the widespread criticism of the EU-Turkey deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27071/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Migration crisis has been close to the top of the EU agenda for the past eighteen months. The EU has responded to the crisis by adopting a range of initiatives designed to address this mass movement of people, not seen at this level since World War II. These measures include engaging with countries of origin and transit to address the root causes of migration; agreeing plans to relocate migrants in Italy and Greece across the Union; establishing Operation Sophia to address people smuggling in the Mediterranean, and substantial financial assistance to countries hosting large numbers of migrants.
As part of its Migration strategy, EU leaders agreed a deal with Turkey last March. The core intention of the deal is to break the business model of the people smugglers profiting from the suffering of the vulnerable and to discourage migrants from risking their lives in dangerous sea journeys. The very substantial reduction in the number of lives lost in the Aegean Sea and the substantial reduction in the number of migrants entering the EU from Turkey since the deal was agreed suggests that it is achieving its aims. The deal is underpinned by a €3 billion Facility for Refugees in Turkey, to which Ireland is contributing almost €23m. This Facility aims to support Syrians and other refugees in Turkey by providing them with access to food, shelter, education, and healthcare.
The EU-Turkey deal is just one aspect of a broad European response to the migration crisis.
