Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Ireland is playing a strong role in the international response to the Ebola crisis through the work on the ground of its embassy in Sierra Leone - it is one of very few countries that have such a bilateral relationship with that country in particular - and through its significant financial support. In 2014 alone, the Government provided more than €18 million directly and through non-governmental organisations, NGOs, to the most affected countries in that region. This included approximately €10 million through its annual development programmes in its partner countries, namely, Sierra Leone and Liberia, which have a particular focus on strengthening the national health systems. Moreover, the Government has provided more than €5.6 million specifically for Ebola treatment facilities and for work on contact-tracing, community mobilisation and child nutrition programmes. The Government intends to continue this strong focus in 2015.

While there appears to have been a welcome slow-down in the incidence of cases of Ebola in recent weeks, there are fluctuations from country to country. It is therefore essential that the international community maintains its resolve to defeat the epidemic and not lose the momentum of its response. The World Health Organization, WHO, reports that fatality rates for hospitalised patients in the most affected countries are between 57% and 60%, which still is too high. However, deaths outside treatment centres are significantly under-reported, making it difficult to provide a completely accurate case fatality rate for the outbreak as a whole. Now that Ebola transmission rates are dropping slightly and pressure on beds is reducing, more suspected Ebola cases will go directly to treatment centres rather than transiting through holding centres while awaiting test results. This will allow more patients to receive the highest quality of care at an earlier stage and that will lead to improved outcomes.

See this speech in context