Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)

My concerns in this regard arise from my awareness of the situation in Africa. In Ghana, for example, which does not have any serious hunger problems, most of the rural population are living on $1 a day. On a visit earlier this year, I met some Irish missionaries who have worked there for 40 or 50 years and who outlined the difficulties encountered by the people there on a daily basis. I also visited an AIDS clinic and hospital. The need for assistance to combat the AIDS problem in Africa is so profound that any statement which attempts to express that need is insufficient because it is beyond words. I saw young children dying of AIDS and children orphaned through the death of their parents from AIDS.

I also visited the UN support team, which receives funding from the Irish Government for its work. There is a need for an evaluation of the work undertaken by the UN, a wealthy organisation of which, like all such organisations, there must be careful monitoring of how it applies its funds. The UN requires the same level of examination as we apply to the Government in terms of ensuring we get value for money. There is no desire that the UN's front-line staff should be on the bread line but they must be responsive to the situations they are assigned to manage.

Ireland has earned a strong international reputation for responding generously to emergency humanitarian crises globally. As a result, we have a level of influence beyond our size in respect of humanitarian issues. We must use this influence within the UN to promote a better and more organised response and a new approach to dealing with disasters such as this. Like the peacekeeping forces that come together over a period of time under the auspices of the UN, there is no reason a mechanism could not be put in place whereby emergency forces could be drawn from different countries, ready to move to a disaster when summoned by the UN. A section of the Army could be trained in this area and made ready to respond as part of a co-ordinated UN response to a disaster.

The logistical difficulties in regard to such missions are well known. Emergency aid, food, clothing and so on are transported by the Red Cross and other organisations but there are often major difficulties in distributing that aid to remote regions. Helicopters have been used to some effect in recent times but problems remain. As was the case in the aftermath of many other disasters, questions have been asked about the efficiency of the response to the earthquake. We in the West have a special duty towards the Third World, where most disasters occur, to be prepared to respond immediately rather than worrying about interfering with a particular government's autonomy.

The UN must be on call and immediately available with a rapid response and prepared programme to deal with the situation. As others have said, the aftermath of these types of disasters is predictable. We know there will be flooding in South America next year and there will be a serious earthquake somewhere in the Middle East. The UN must take responsibility way beyond what it is currently doing so it can respond effectively to such foreseen emergencies.

We all offer our sympathy to those affected by the severe flooding in Central America, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, in the aftermath of Hurricane Stan. The Government has made a contribution of €1 million to the relief efforts following this disaster. I have never visited this area but have a great interest in it. Having read extensively about the region, I am aware of how vast and underdeveloped much of it is and that some of the mountain areas are largely inaccessible. Having read in great detail several books on Ché Guevara, one has almost an intimate knowledge of his time in Bolivia in the mountains where he could remain for so long without being identified. It is so bleak and so removed from what we regard as normal that the difficulties experienced there are special. A response to meet that situation should be made available and ready by the authorities.

On 11 October the UN launched a €272 million flash appeal for the south Asian earthquake. This covers the life saving and early recovery activities for the six months emergency phase in a remote region with enormous logistical difficulties where landslides have cut off many roads. Access is possible only by foot and helicopter. More than 80% of buildings have been destroyed in some areas. Priority needs include shelter, winter size tents, plastic sheets, blankets, mattresses, nutrition, pre-cooked can food, high energy biscuits and survival rations, medicines, antibiotics, typhoid medicine, first aid and surgical kits, water purification tablets and transport, mostly helicopters.

Heavy rain has made much of the city uninhabitable and mudslides make access to those in need very difficult. General access to the area is incredibly difficult. Only one small road is open for light vehicles. They are dependent on heavy lifting logistics equipment, helicopters and air lifting logistics capacity which are critical for lifesaving assistance. One of the most urgent needs is shelter material for the 2.5 million homeless.

Medical care is also required immediately as most of the hospitals and health care centres have been destroyed. Food and clean water are also in short supply in many towns and villages in Pakistan administered Kashmir and the north western frontier province, the most affected areas. The towns have been totally wiped out. UN agencies are already on the ground bringing in convoys of relief. The United Nations Human Rights Commission has also begun distributing basic relief supplies to up to 100,000 people.

I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.

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