Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views regarding the apparent lack of progress being made to deal with the many difficulties existing after the earthquake disaster in Haiti; if he has any proposals on the way Ireland and or the EU could assist further; if the present UN peace keeping force could be further strengthened to deal with the many law and order problems facing the Haitian authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3031/11]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The earthquake in Haiti killed more than 230,000 people and left 1.3 million people homeless. I saw the conditions at first hand last July and since then the hurricane season, the cholera outbreak and political uncertainty have exacerbated the already terrible situation.

The international relief effort has, however, made much progress. Sanitation and clean water are being provided to the temporary camps and more than 30,000 transitional shelters have been constructed. Structures have been created to ensure the reconstruction effort is coherent and avoids duplication of effort. Nevertheless, it is clear that the pace of progress is too slow to respond to the needs of the population and a redoubled effort is essential.

Ireland, through Irish Aid, is supporting both long-term reconstruction and short-term humanitarian relief in Haiti. Tens of thousands of people have benefited from Irish-funded shelter, water and sanitation projects. We have provided vital technical skills via our rapid response corps, as well as €1 million to the Haiti Reconstruction Trust Fund. Ireland has provided €8.6 million of the €13 million I pledged on the Government's behalf at the Haiti Donor Conference last March. Total EU funding to date is €780 million.

The strengthening of the United Nations stabilization mission in Haiti, MINUSTAH, peacekeeping operation is a matter for the Security Council. The mandate and strength of the operation has been adjusted on several occasions, most recently following the earthquake.

A key focus of the mission is rule of law, public safety and public order. Some 8,651 military personnel, 4,391 police and almost 2,000 civilians serve with MINUSTAH. Ireland and its EU partners continue to follow the situation carefully and last December the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the reconstruction of Haiti.

This will undoubtedly take many years as the country is not just recovering from the earthquake, but from many decades of crisis. It is essential, therefore, that the international community remain committed in the years ahead.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Did the Minister of State have the opportunity to see the recent television programmes about Haiti, particularly the programme dealing with the damage caused by escaped prisoners, of whom there are 4,000 and who have been convicted of all sorts of terrible crimes, including murder? These prisoners have caused havoc in the various shelters and temporary cities that exist in Haiti. My understanding is that only 450 peacekeeping troops are available to work with the police and round up these 4,000 people, who are causing havoc.

Is the Minister of State aware of a report presented to the EU Parliament by the Commission in November 2010? The report said experienced volunteers involved with the earthquake in Haiti confirmed the need for skilled and rapidly deployable volunteers as an immediate response to the emergency and also spoke of the possibility of using less skilled volunteers for auxiliary functions. The report went on to say the majority of volunteers used by agencies in Haiti were paid, either by companies or governments. Unskilled volunteers who arrived en masse during the early days with good intentions were less effective and, in some cases, even disruptive.

I raise this because I have been pressing for some time for Ireland to establish a civilian corps of skilled people, many of whom are unemployed at present. There is also, I understand, a desire on the part of the EU Commissioner for a skilled civil corps to be established.

Will the Minister of State take an active role at EU level to press forward with this proposal? There are far better ways of using our money to get proper results than continual statements that, through Irish Aid, we are giving grant aid. I would like to see personnel, who are at present unemployed, used in a proper constructive fashion.

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I did not see the programmes but I am keeping a very close eye on the security situation in Haiti. As Deputy Barrett knows, I visited there last July and saw for myself the shocking horror of the scale of destruction there. I experienced at first hand the very fragile security situation that pertained, even six months after the earthquake. Even before the earthquake, the security situation in Haiti was perilous, to say the least. There is a history of gang violence and that has continued into the humanitarian camps that are being supported by us at present.

With regard to our intervention in Haiti itself, it is not within our remit to deal with the security situation, although we would naturally wish to see it resolved and have increasing concern for the safety and security of humanitarian workers. Needless to say, the Sharon Commins incident is a case in point. However, our job is to provide, first, humanitarian aid and, second, long-term reconstruction.

With regard to the deployment of a corps of people, we have one in place. It is the rapid response corps. The lessons from the 2004 tsumani were clear. We need fewer but more highly trained and skilled people. We have a corps of more than 150 people and we deployed more than ten of those to Haiti immediately after the earthquake to assist with the effort.

Are those the lines the Deputy was considering?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Anything is better than nothing but ten is very few, in this situation. The television programmes made it clear that the security situation is quite horrific.

I do not expect Ireland to solve the problem but we are a key member of the European Union. We can awaken the EU to its responsibility and offer to support any peace corps that is designed to protect the forces of law and order in the country. Recapturing 4,000 escapees and dealing with crime on the streets would give people a chance to get back to normal living. Our membership of the EU should be used in that way. We could offer some of the well-trained and professional members of our Defence Forces to assist in such a mission. These are the sort of things on which Ireland can lead.

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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There needs to be a very clear distinction between our rapid response corps, which provides specialist aid in humanitarian situations, and the security or violent dimension to an emergency. In Haiti, the security situation is of concern to us but it is not our responsibility. It would be the responsibility of global organisations, such as MINUSTAH.

There is discussion at European level as to how there can be a co-ordinated response on the security front by the European Union. The view, very much, is that because these disasters are of increasing frequency

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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What is the Minister of State's view?

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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We need to work with our European partners in this area. Discussions are being held at present as to how the European Union might contribute to a wider multilateral force. However, they are at the very early stages.