Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Commissioner to Ireland and thank him for attending the meeting. As Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, does he consider Ireland's total contribution to the humanitarian assistance programme - which is in the region of €142,000 for 2015, with a similar contribution allocated for 2016 - to be in line with that of other EU countries in the context of GDP output per capita? Is it his view that this provisions should be increased given the current international crises that are unfolding and, if so, by how much or what percentage?

In 2015, the Government published an updated humanitarian assistance policy which aims to implement further structures and methodologies that will enable Ireland to continue to achieve its goal of providing humanitarian assistance, saving and protecting lives, eliminating suffering and maintaining dignity. Will the Commissioner detail to the committee the areas of international humanitarian assistance provision to which this State and other EU member states should be allocating more resources? I ask this as I seek to understand how Ireland can improve its efforts into the future.