Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts being made to help the people of Pakistan and provide relief to them following the recent earthquake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32649/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The earthquake which struck south Asia, particularly Pakistan, on 8 October has had devastating consequences. The unusually shallow nature of the quake caused widespread structural damage and current estimates put the dead at more than 70,000, including 17,000 children.

Ireland was among the first countries to respond to the disaster and our quick response was widely welcomed. Within a few hours of the earthquake €1 million was pledged towards immediate relief efforts in northern Pakistan and the surrounding regions. I remained in contact with the situation over the following hours and days. As the casualty figures rose dramatically, our response was increased to €5 million, placing Ireland as one of the highest donors to the disaster on a per capita basis. Some of the pledges made by donors have not materialised into solid commitments. I support President Musharraf's call for more generous assistance, specifically from Islamic, EU and OECD states. It is essential that vital assistance is delivered in order to save lives.

Approximately €1.5 million of our assistance has been allocated to key UN humanitarian agencies, including UNICEF and the World Food Programme, WFP. More than €2.5 million has been allocated to non-governmental organisations, NGOs, such as Concern, GOAL, Oxfam, Plan Ireland and Trócaire, which are active in the provision of essential services on the ground. These services include food, health, shelter, water and sanitation. The emergency phase of the disaster is by no means over. Many villages, communities and individuals remain vulnerable. Our key objective remains to save lives. In the longer term we will assist with restoring livelihoods and working towards recovery.