Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. It is the topic that is first and foremost on most people's minds throughout the world at the moment following the disaster of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria in recent days. It was an unexpected shock and it caused a significant number of deaths to date. Unfortunately, the death toll is rising on a daily basis. In the first week or so following the earthquake, the emphasis is on recovering people buried under the rubble and all agencies are working to that effect.

I join the Senator in offering our condolences and those of the Irish people to those in Türkiye and Syria who have been affected. I extend the condolences to the approximately 2,000 people from Syria who are currently living in Ireland and to the similar number of Turkish people here, many of whose families have been affected and who have suffered bereavement. It is important that we recognise that people here have been affected.

The Senator will be familiar with our agencies working on the ground. To date, thankfully, we have not heard of any casualties among Irish aid workers on the ground who have been in those countries. I am aware that some of the buildings they live in have been destroyed. I am conscious that some aid workers are sleeping in cars with their families with temperatures of -6°C at night and trying to do work to help the rescue mission on a daily basis as well. Our aid workers on the ground were working with people locally, who were friends of theirs, who have already suffered in the tragedy. It is very difficult for our people in the area.

As the Senator will be aware, the Tánaiste and I announced an immediate response on Monday to provide €2 million in humanitarian assistance to the people of Türkiye and Syria. The funds will be allocated to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC, and the United Nations Syria Cross-Border Humanitarian Fund, which are both best placed to respond immediately. The sum of €1 million will be provided to the IFRC in Türkiye, which works with the Turkish Red Crescent to provide shelter, blankets and hot and cold meals for those injured and evacuated. In Syria, €1 million will support people in north-west Syria where 90% of the 4.6 million people in the region already need humanitarian assistance after 11 years of war and internal displacement. Many of the Syrian people who have been displaced are in Türkiye and have been affected on a second occasion.

Faced with disasters such as the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, we understand that collective action is needed and we are working with other EU member states and the UN to ensure our joint support is co-ordinated and effective. Ireland also provides pre-positioned funds to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, CERF, which reacts rapidly and at scale when disasters happen. Yesterday, CERF announced a package of $25 million for this disaster. Ireland's contribution to the CERF for 2023 is €12.5 million.

Ireland is ready to respond to the disaster through its rapid response initiative. This includes emergency stocks pre-positioned in UN distribution hubs around the world, and a roster of humanitarian experts that can deploy at short notice to support the UN humanitarian response. These include experts in shelter, water, energy, child protection, engineering, and cash assistance. The latter is most important so that people can buy food, blankets and get accommodation in the immediate future.