Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I will convey the Deputies' good wishes to Deputy Martin.

The floods which have ravaged eastern parts of Sri Lanka in recent days have caused widespread destruction and are thought to have affected nearly one million people. At least 40 people are known to have died while 300,000 have been forced from their homes.

The Government of Sri Lanka has estimated the total damage caused by the flooding and resultant mud slides at €375 million and there are serious concerns over the effects of the disaster on farming communities, with up to 30% of all arable land in the region thought to have been submerged.

The United Nations is expected to launch an appeal for Sri Lanka this week. To date, the European Commission has provided emergency funding of €2 million in humanitarian assistance to the flood victims. This aid will be channelled through a number of international aid agencies to provide emergency food assistance, water and sanitation, as well as basic relief items to those most in need. In addition, funding from the Red Cross disaster relief emergency fund, DREF, to which Ireland is a donor, has been made available to the Sri Lankan Red Cross to assist some of those most affected quickly and through experienced emergency workers on the ground. Funding through the DREF is one of the key lessons which we have implemented as a result of the Asian tsunami, which affected Sri Lanka. Ireland has provided €4 million to this fund since 2008. I assure the Deputy we will continue to monitor the situation as it develops in the coming days, especially in light of the possible UN funding call.

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