Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department is funding a humanitarian programme in Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13033/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. Since 2003, Ireland has delivered over €6.5 million to meet the immediate emergency humanitarian needs of some of the most vulnerable groups in that country. Funding has been delivered through key non-governmental partners such as Concern, GOAL and Trócaire and through UN and international agencies such as the world food programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNOCHA, and the Red Cross family.

Irish Aid also supports the work of the NGO Co-ordination Committee in Iraq, NCCI, which provides a forum for collective NGO activity to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian action in Iraq at a national level. Funding was also provided to the AMAR, Assisting Marsh Arabs and Refugees, International Charitable Foundation for health care programmes to assist the Marsh Arab population of southern Iraq, which suffered considerably under the former regime.

While the security situation in Iraq has greatly increased the difficulty for those working in the humanitarian field, the Government remains committed to funding humanitarian programmes which can be delivered in this challenging environment.