Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 700: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the efforts being made to assist the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan. [2258/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is estimated that over 73,000 people in northern Pakistan lost their lives in the earthquake which struck south Asia on 8 October 2005. The earthquake severely affected the North-West Frontier and Kashmir Provinces of Pakistan causing widespread structural damage. Over 70,000 people were seriously injured, 3 million people lost their homes and 1 million jobs were lost.

Former Taoiseach Mr. Albert Reynolds represented Ireland at a reconstruction conference convened by the Government of Pakistan on 19 November. Mr. Reynolds presented the report of his findings to me following the conference.

I travelled to the affected region myself in December with my Dutch colleague. I met with President Musharraf and Prime Minister Aziz, both of whom briefed me on the challenges facing the country. I also met with the United Nations humanitarian co-ordinator for the relief effort, the Red Cross and Irish NGOs working in the region. I saw at first hand the devastation caused by the earthquake and the logistical difficulties in the relief and recovery effort. I visited GOAL in Bagh district and saw its food distribution network in operation. I visited Concern, which has adapted its long-term programme there to meet the relief needs in the camps and surrounding area. Severe cold weather and snow has made delivery of relief supplies difficult. While there is some evidence of recovery, the delivery of emergency relief such as shelter, food, health services and the logistical support to deliver these services, continues to be a priority.

The Government has pledged €10 million in humanitarian relief and recovery assistance. Some €8 million of this funding has been disbursed to UN agencies, the Red Cross family and Irish NGOs, which are providing much needed humanitarian assistance in the region. This places Ireland as one of the highest donors per capita to this disaster. The remainder of our assistance will be carefully targeted as additional needs emerge.

My Department remains in close contact with the UN which, with the Government of Pakistan, is leading the relief effort. We are conscious of the continuing challenges facing the relief effort and the need to provide sustained and substantial relief, particularly over the winter period. Ireland will continue to play its part in the relief and recovery process over the coming months.