On behalf of People Before Profit we send our solidarity and sympathy to the victims of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. The death toll has risen to 11,000 and the World Health Organization has warned that it could rise to 20,000. I want to raise the question of aid to this very desperate area in this desperate scenario. Aid has always been weaponised and there have been sanctions in place against Syria. These are sanctions by the EU and the US. I am no friend of Assad or the Syrian regime and what it has done, which has been absolutely outrageous in that country for the past 11 or 12 years, but obstacles are there to humanitarian aid and they have already prevented the importation of many medicines into the country. GoFundMe is stating it cannot allow funding support into Syria even though some people in some cases are trying to raise it through this manner. Will the Taoiseach assure us that Ireland will use its voice to insist the EU and countries globally do not allow sanctions against Syria to impact on the humanitarian effort to rescue people, save lives and re-establish some sense of order in the region?

As part of our response, the Government has announced €2 million in aid for Türkiye and Syria. Most of it will go to Syria and it will be done through the UN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent. We are going to talk to the authorities and see what else we can do. I expect this will be a matter we will discuss at the European Council tomorrow and I agree with the fundamental case the Deputy is making. I have always taken the view food and medicine should be exempt from sanctions. They are exempt from the sanctions regime imposed on Russia at the moment. I do not know how exactly that affects Syria but I will find out and make it part of our discussions tomorrow at the Council.

Very good, and the Taoiseach will use his voice and insist. Fair play to him.