Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 March 2018
114. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to speak at the next EU leaders' meeting on the need for increased intervention due to the increased violence and deaths in Syria (details supplied). [9653/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU Foreign Ministers discussed the situation in Syria at the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 March, following discussions at our informal meeting on 15 February and at the Foreign Affairs Council on 26 February. At the Foreign Affairs Council in February, Ireland added its voice to calls for the immediate and full implementation of the ceasefire demanded by the UN Security Council in resolution 2401 adopted on 24 February. Last week, Foreign Affairs Ministers heard from Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary General Special Envoy for Syria, who gave us an analysis of the situation on the ground. He informed us of the limited implementation of UNSCR 2401, with the bombardment continuing in defiance of this resolution. Mr de Mistura also updated us on his efforts to bring about a negotiated political solution to the conflict. Ireland and the EU fully support his work in this regard.
The EU provides direct assistance to the UN-brokered talks in Geneva and has launched, in coordination with the UN, an initiative to develop political dialogue with key actors from the region, in support of the efforts of the Special Envoy.
The EU will also host a donor conference for Syria in Brussels in April, building on the EU-hosted conference in 2017 at which pledges totaling €5.6 billion were made. The EU and its Member States have mobilised more than €10.4 billion for humanitarian and resilience assistance in response to the crisis, making the EU the largest single donor to the effort.
The conference will focus on humanitarian support and bolstering the UN-led political peace process in Geneva. The Foreign Affairs Council in April will likely adopt Council Conclusions on Syria setting out the EU position ahead of the donor conference, and Ireland will participate in the discussions on these.
Since 2012, Ireland has contributed over €95 million to the humanitarian effort in response to the conflict in Syria, including €25.5 million in 2017 alone. Through our annual contributions to the EU Institutions, Ireland also supports the EU’s humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. Ireland will announce its pledge of humanitarian support for 2018 at the EU-hosted donor conference in April.
