John Kerry says it should be given credit for complying quickly with the UN resolution to destroy its chemical weapons.

Yesterday, it emerged United Nations experts had begun dismantling Syria's stockpile.

A UN source told the AFP news agency that disarmament experts had begun disposing of the weapons at a location in Syria.

They're being destroyed as part of a UN deal brokered by Russia.

Mr Kerry thinks they're off to a good start:

Back home, the Government is spending an additional 3 million euro on humanitarian funding for Syria.

It brings Ireland’s total contribution to the international humanitarian response to almost 14 million euro.

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello, announced the funding in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, where he visited a refugee camp and registration centre to observe relief efforts on the ground.

To date, around 780 thousand refugees have arrived in Lebanon from Syria.