Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On behalf of all members of Sinn Féin, I express our deepest condolences over the tragic loss of up to 40,000 lives in the earthquake last Saturday that hit Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Our thoughts are with all the bereaved families, the orphaned children and the traumatised survivors, many of whom have been made homeless and jobless and must rebuild their lives. Our thoughts are also with the adults and children who are more vulnerable than ever to preventable death from hunger or disease and the Pakistani, Indian and Afghanistan citizens, leaders, public servants and NGOs who are coping with a large scale disaster. The bravery and community spirit demonstrated by ordinary citizens in these devastated communities humbles all of us.

Sinn Féin extends its solidarity to all of them, our brothers and sisters, as they face the daunting task of preventing a second wave of disease-related deaths, in particular, as torrential rain and winds continue to obstruct and hamper relief efforts. Médecins Sans Frontières has warned of the threat posed by water-borne diseases in Muzaffarabad, in particular, where people are surviving in cramped conditions, with some forced to spend nights without shelter, food or medical care in harsh and freezing weather conditions. We also extend our solidarity to those preparing for the monumentally difficult task of reconstruction in the weeks and months ahead.

I welcome the Government's pledge of €3 million to assist relief efforts in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. The UN appealed for $272 million in aid. It is estimated that about 2.5 million people are now in need of the basics of life such as shelter, medical care, food and water. As the second wealthiest country in the world, I invite the Government to commit additional resources, including further financial resources, to assist the relief efforts in the region.

On behalf of the Sinn Féin Party, I express our deepest condolences over the tragic loss of at least 1,000 lives as a result of the mudslides caused by the tropical storm Stan last week in Guatemala. We are also deeply concerned for all the people affected by the severe flooding in other parts of Central America, including El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families especially those who still wait in uncertainty and all who have been left homeless by the mudslides and floods. We recognise with admiration the great work of the local people, NGOs and state agencies who have been engaged in the harrowing task of attempting to recover bodies and to care for those survivors who managed to flee their homes in time. Sinn Féin extends its solidarity to the people of Central America in this time of great distress and need.

I welcome the Government's second pledge of €1 million to assist relief efforts in Central America. I invite the Government to make available to the region as many resources, including financial and practical, as possible. Sinn Féin welcomed the commitment included in the United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome to "supporting the efforts of countries, in particular developing countries, to strengthen their capacities at all levels in order to prepare for and respond rapidly to natural disasters and mitigate their impact". I urge the Government to respond positively and in a timely manner to all and any requests made of it by the United Nations as it participates in the response to the disasters in Asia and Central America, respectively.

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