Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I echo the complimentary remarks made about the work done by the Minister of State and Irish foreign aid, in general. There is not an awful lot more that one can add to what has been said by the Senators and the Minister of State.

In the context of the peace talks taking place in Geneva and hosted by Lakhdar Brahimi, an interesting comment was made by the Syrian National Coalition member, Murhaf Joeujati. He said: "Women and children leaving Homs will be subjected to inspection by security forces, under the suspicion of terrorism." It was understood that the humanitarian gesture had been advanced to the point where women and children were going to be allowed out but Mr. Joeujati's comment seems to add a sinister dimension to the initiative. On Tuesday he said: "The Assad regime does not allow aid in and is not breaking off the siege we asked for."

On Tuesday of this week, regarding the delay in letting humanitarian aid into Homs, Mr. Jouejati said that the trucks and convoy were ready to be distributed. He said: "There is absolutely no problem with logistics. The decision is a political one that came from the Government of Syria."

World Food Programme spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs has said the UN will send in a convoy once it receives the go-ahead. The agency has been unable to get supplies into the old city of Homs for more than a year. It would seem, in the context of Ireland's engagement - I know the Tánaiste was involved - that these are questions that need to be addressed to the Syrian regime. Is it an honest broker in this regard or is it just playing the optics? Obviously, there appear to be some conflicting views as to what is happening in Homs or what is proposed to happen in Homs, where there is a major humanitarian disaster. More than 100,000 people have been killed and approximately 9 million people have been displaced after three years of serious civil war, according to the latest figures from the UNHCR.

In the context of convoys being available, Lakhdar Brahimi has announced that an aid convoy to the besieged city was on standby and awaiting authorisation from the Syrian government. He added that areas under siege must get must get food and medication. That is humanitarian law. As the Minister of State has pointed out, Ireland has provided funding of €12 million from Irish Aid's 2014 budget for humanitarian emergencies, bringing the total value of the Irish Government's response to the crisis in Syria to more than €26 million, which in the current straitened times is an admirable sum of money.

The conflict between pro- and anti-government supporters in South Sudan, which seceded from Sudan in July 2011, has displaced more than 700,000 people across the country and sent another 123,000 fleeing to neighbouring countries in just over six weeks. It is an appalling humanitarian disaster. There are hopes that the cessation of hostilities signed in Ethiopia during the week by representatives of both sides will lead to an end to the fighting and help alleviate the plight of civilians in need. Again, questions arise about the distribution of humanitarian aid which the Minister of State may be able to clarify. Valerie Amos, the Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator at the UN, has said that the current crisis comes on top of an already challenging humanitarian situation in the country. She praised the work of humanitarian organisations that remain in the country during this tense and difficult period and are delivering urgently needed assistance, but said, "While this has saved many lives, we have not been able to provide assistance to many others due to the continuing insecurity." She added that the looting of aid agency warehouses and assets, as well as the subjection of aid workers to violence, has severely hampered efforts to assist the population.

According to the Minister of State, €1.5 million was disbursed to NGOs and two airlifts totalling 45 tonnes of emergency supplies have been dispatched to South Sudan from our pre-position stocks in Ghana. Has the Minister of State any up-to-date information as to whether this airlift has succeeded in getting through? Given the comments made by Ms Amos in regard to the looting of aid agency warehouses and assets, can the Minister of State assure the House this is not the case with regard to the Irish humanitarian aid that has gone to Juba in recent times?

In the Central African Republic, charities and aid agencies are striving to help victims of the violence that has left almost 1 million people displaced, while more than 2 million are dependent on humanitarian assistance. According to the Minister of State, Ireland has been a long-standing supporter of the Central African Republic and has provided €12 million to the UN common humanitarian fund for the Central African Republic since its establishment in 2008. However, escalating violence in the country and an ongoing humanitarian crisis has affected more than half the population. The UN reports that large areas of the Central African Republic continue to be affected by fighting. Amnesty International has reported this week the large-scale massacre of civilians in the north west region of the country. The charity has been appealing for rapid deployment of peacekeepers to protect threatened civilians.

On 20 January, EU foreign Ministers approved a new military mission, including the deployment of 500 troops. Is Ireland going to be involved in this at any level? I am not sure if the Minister of State responded to that question, which has also been raised by other speakers. He has announced that €2 million will be provided by way of funding and food, water, shelter and health care will be provided to the worst-affected areas.

I commend the Minister of State on the work the Irish Government is doing in three key areas of the world. Despite our straitened economic circumstances we are still punching above our weight, something that the Irish people have fully supported in the context of overseas aid for humanitarian purposes.