Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

We will monitor the situation. Since I have taken up this portfolio, it has never ceased to amaze me how some disasters, rightly, generate significant international publicity while shortly after similar disasters do not capture the imagination of the international media, even though they cause immense hardship. For example, during Cyclone Nargis in Burma, not far from Sri Lanka, 129,000 people died overnight in eight hours. That is one of the forgotten tragedies. I assure the Deputy that even though these are described as forgotten emergencies, Irish Aid continues to monitor them and we respond to funding calls. A needs assessment is often prepared a month or two later and submissions are prepared by Irish Aid for the Department. We respond to them to ensure relief is provided to those most in need, in particular, the Tamil minority community.

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