Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome this opportunity to pay tribute to the vital work being undertaken by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, in support of Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. UNRWA provides basic services to more than 4.6 million Palestinians and operates essential programmes in areas such as education and health care, relief and social services, micro-finance and the improvement of infrastructure.

Palestinian refugees represent a particularly vulnerable and marginalised group and for this reason remain a central focus of Irish Aid's programme of assistance to Palestine. In this regard, I am pleased to confirm that Ireland fully intends to honour the commitment we announced in January 2007 of providing over €11 million in support of UNRWA over the three year period between 2007 and 2009. Funding at this level will enable Ireland to become a member of UNRWA's advisory commission, which is composed of major donors and the Governments of the refugee host countries.

In 2007 and 2008, a total of €7.6 million was provided in core support to UNRWA, of which €2 million was earmarked for UNRWA activities in Lebanon. It is intended that a further €3.8 million will be provided to UNRWA in 2009. In addition to core support, a sum of €500,000 was provided to UNRWA in late 2007 to support the education sector in Gaza. This was in recognition of the particularly difficult circumstances with which refugee children in Gaza are confronted on a daily basis.

Our funding for UNRWA is a key element in Ireland's overall funding to the Palestinian people. Our funding has increased significantly in recent years, from €4.4 million in 2005 to €7.5 million last year, representing an increase of 70%. Thus far in 2008, €4.9 million has been allocated, and further disbursements are planned before the year's end.

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