I support Senator Colette Kelleher's request that the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality come to the House to speak about the refugee crisis.

I thank all of the Senators who sent emails after I spoke about the situation in Aleppo last week. I wrote to the ambassador and have received a response that reads:

Dear Senator Mr. Butler,

Thank you for your letter. It is very interesting to know your point of view on the current situation in Aleppo. Unfortunately, I am afraid that your acquaintance with facts of what [is] going on in Syria ... and in Aleppo [is] particularly ... far from objectivity. I dare say that you use one-sided and preconceived information widely spread in ... Western mass media.

If you are interested in getting alternative point of view I would be ready to talk to you.

Sincerely,

AMBASSADOR ... PESHKOV.

I welcome the ceasefire that was called this morning. I do not think any of us in here have been brainwashed by western media when we see what has gone on in Aleppo. We know that atrocities have been perpetrated by all sides from barrel bombs to suicide bombers. What we have seen in the past couple of weeks is nothing but the slaughter of innocents. Women and children have been slaughtered. The other night on television we saw a young man being dragged out of a building but he was just a child or young boy. I do not need a Russian ambassador to tell me that I have been brainwashed or any of us in here have been brainwashed. We want the ceasefire to happen and women and children taken out of the city, given safe passage and looked after properly.