Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

That might be a lead that could be usefully taken by some of the other charitable organisations. It is extremely important that we reassure the public that the money is well spent. We have an enormously generous public in Ireland, one of the most generous in the world in terms of charitable donations, and we must seek to ensure that continues.

The new President, Catherine Samba-Panza, is the agreed transition President in the country. Hopefully, the transition period will get under way and the new structures and administration will be put in place. That is the intention. Resources have been put in there. We had a meeting in Brussels last week. It did not start as pledging meeting, it was a meeting to discuss the situation in the Central African Republic. We contributed €2 million to it but it became a pledging meeting as well because of the urgency of the situation. Some €750,000 was collected on that occasion and obviously we are seeking further funds. It is important that we build administration and sustainable development in the health and education areas.

Senator Quinn mentioned the Danish Foreign Minister's reference to the scale of suffering, one of the worst humanitarian disasters of our time. He spoke of the Irish troops serving there. I have answered that point. Their security is our top priority and the security of our peacekeeping troops is always kept under review.

Senator Higgins referred to their potential of the three states to be failed states. There is no doubt that all three are failed states. The picture the Senator and we have painted of them is dreadful. She spoke of the increase of gender-based violence and child abuse. In conflict situations children are always brought into the conflict. They are very vulnerable and there seems to be a great willingness for the armed militia and regimes to recruit child soldiers and to put guns in their hands. This is happening in all of those countries. Irish Aid works very closely with the Consortium on Gender Based Violence, the United Nations and the non-governmental organisations. The protection of women against gender-based violence in times of conflict is mainstream in all the work we do.

I dealt with Senator Mullins's points on refugee placements and on the slow progress in Geneva. Senator Reilly spoke of development education programmes. I mentioned what we are doing in that area. She asked how can we heighten awareness of these matters. I addressed that point as well.

Senator Mooney raised the issue of Homs. It is a very difficult situation. The progress in Geneva is very slow but there is no alternative to those talks and to trying to get an agreed pathway. We hope that Iran, which is the major supporter of the regime on the ground, is coming back into the normal community of nations and is much more open to suggestions of using its good offices to help alleviate the humanitarian situations. We are anxious that this would happen.

Senator Mooney asked how we can be sure that our aid does not go astray and that it is not being looted. We sent the airlift to South Sudan on 14 January and it is being distributed by Concern. Irish Aid will receive a report once it has been distributed in order that we can see exactly how it has been distributed. Thus far there have been no difficulties. The Senator also asked about our troops serving there.

Senator O'Keeffe raised the refugees issue and remarked on the neighbouring countries. She also mentioned gender-based violence.

I have dealt with most of the issues. I hope I have not omitted any. I am delighted to have had this opportunity to speak to Senators on this issue. It is important that we bring everybody up to date and that the Senators have an opportunity to discuss these matters, ask questions and to know the priorities in Irish aid policy. We have had a very good track record in trying to cover all the humanitarian situations but we also have a very good track record in dealing with forgotten crises. There is only one other country in Europe that has engaged with us in the common humanitarian fund for the Central African Republic. The issues in the Central African Republic could have been dealt with long ago if the resources that the international community was seeking were there. The resources are in South Sudan but they are not in the Central African Republic and, as a result, it has been neglected all the time. The conflict had been bubbling away all the time and it has now erupted as though it was an ethnic and a religious divide but, in fact, it is stems from poverty. It is due to decades of poverty since independence and that is what has brought it the state it is in. These are the fault lines. There are always fault lines. We know from Northern Ireland there were the fault lines of religion and all sorts of other issues when in fact there was discrimination and poverty underneath the surface. We will seek to focus Irish aid all the time on the greatest needs. Senator Higgins asked how we keep it focused on greatest needs where people are most vulnerable and most in need of our assistance. That will continue to be the focus of our operations.