Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I remind members, witnesses and those in the Public Gallery to ensure their mobile telephones are switched off completely for the duration of the meeting as they cause interference with the recording equipment in the committee rooms, even in silent mode. I welcome Mr. Peter Power, the executive director of UNICEF Ireland. He is familiar to all of us, having been a Member of the House for so many years. I think he was elected to the House in 2002, like myself. He is the former Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights and former Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He has just returned from the Philippines this morning. It took about four or five flights to get from Tacloban, where he was based, to Cebu to Manila and finally back to Dublin via Abu Dhabi so I thank him for coming before the committee. I know he is probably in another time zone.

This meeting has been arranged for some time but it is very timely. We have all seen the images on our television screens, particularly the aftermath of one of the worst typhoons in living memory that has devastated many regions of the Philippines, left more than 4,000 people dead and displaced more than four million people. It is quite clear from the television footage that millions of people will need humanitarian assistance. Of course, children are always the victims of these tragedies and that is where UNICEF comes in. It has done a great job so far in highlighting the cause of children, particularly in the aftermath of such tragedies where many children are left orphaned or where many parents are looking for their lost children as a result of the devastation. Mr. Power travelled to the Philippines a number of days ago and has come back this morning. We are delighted to have him here.

We will also be discussing the ongoing situation in Syria. Obviously, that is something that has gone off the television screens at the moment but that is what happens with the media. It moves from one incident to another but people are still suffering and very much so in Syria where more than 100,000 people have been killed. Mr. Power will talk about Syria as well. Obviously, the unfolding situation in the Philippines is very much the topic of the moment. I call Mr. Power to make his presentation to the committee. He will also answer questions from members. I welcome Mr. Power and his representative from UNICEF Ireland, Ms Nikita White.