Mr. Alan Glasgow:

In regard to Senator Walsh's question about neighbouring countries and Lebanon, we recently attended the Syria humanitarian forum in Geneva, the seventh of these large get-togethers. The Lebanese delegation pointed out that the numbers arriving in Tripoli and northern Lebanon were the equivalent of 9 million refugees arriving in France or 22 million arriving into the United States. Everyone is aware of the figures but when they are put in those terms they give pause for thought. The situation in neighbouring countries is also catastrophic but we commend the UNHCR, with support by Irish Aid, on its efforts to provide support for these refugees. When we assessed the refugee situation in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey in September last year, the situation was difficult but it was by no means overwhelming. This prompted us to examine our strategy of intervening internally in order to keep Syrians as close to their homes as possible rather than crossing the border. The reason for this strategy was twofold. First, GOAL always attempts to be as close to the problem as possible and, second, the situation was not as overwhelming as it has since become. The numbers of refugees in neighbouring countries are becoming very worrying.

Deputy Eric Byrne asked a follow up question on how GOAL decides who gets aid. Over many years GOAL has developed a set of targeting methodologies for the selection of beneficiaries once we make a decision to intervene in a country. We work through relief committees, which are the community structures for assisting people on the ground. We begin by establishing that nothing we are doing will make the situation worse and that our conflict assessment has been appropriate. Using the relief committees, we identify further the most vulnerable within communities. In respect of the aid we are providing in northern Idlib, we have asked the relief committees to identify widows, orphans, the disabled and the infirm. By means of finely tuned monitoring and evaluation systems developed over the years, we are able to ensure our targeting is correct.

Deputy Eric Byrne also asked about the food for peace programme, which is an unusual name. Food for peace is an instrument developed by the department of humanitarian and conflict affairs in USAID, which is the US equivalent of Irish Aid, to fund programme activity in conflict zones and places that are emerging from conflict.