Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and his officials for making themselves available today. I have a question on foot of the representations made by some of the NGOs. The Minister mentioned the commitment to help and assist the UN in the peacekeeping role or to provide whatever might be required to meet the huge demands placed on the countries that have been impacted. I wish to focus on the criteria used by the Government in relation to the extra €30 million, with €5 million going to NGOs and €25 million going to multilateral UN funding. Were the criteria surrounding the decision to disburse it in that way related to the more universal approach that may be available from the UN?