Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent meeting with the Israeli Foreign Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3917/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his recent visit to the Middle East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4275/07]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason his planned visit to Gaza was cancelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3916/07]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 196: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the outcome of his recent Middle East tour and the cancellation of his Gaza visit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4485/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 73, 118 and 196 together.

I have outlined the main elements of my visit last week to the Middle East in my reply to Questions No. 1 and 5 answered earlier.

I held discussions with political leaders in Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon, which focused on the urgent need to revive a credible political process in the region. There is broad agreement that, at its heart, must be a negotiated, viable two-State solution to the Israeli — Palestinian conflict. I urged all the parties to seize the opportunity now available to resume substantive negotiations. I assured them of the determination of the Government and of our EU partners to support efforts in this direction, both directly held discussions with political leaders in Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon, which focused on the urgent need to revive a credible political process in the region. There is broad agreement that, at its heart, must be a negotiated, viable two-State solution to the Israeli — Palestinian conflict. I urged all the parties to seize the opportunity now available to resume substantive negotiations. I assured them of the determination of the Government and of our EU partners to support efforts in this direction, both directly and through a more active and sustained engagement by the international Quartet.

Deputies will be aware that I had hoped to visit Gaza to see for myself the extent of the humanitarian crisis in the area. I cancelled the visit at the request of President Mahmoud Abbas, in view of the very difficult security situation. In addition to meeting with the President in Ramallah, I visited Bethlehem, where I witnessed the effects of the construction of the security barrier on the lives of ordinary Palestinians. I also visited the impressive UNRWA school for girls in the Aida Refugee Camp. During my discussions there with the Commissioner General for UNRWA, Karen Koning Abu Zayd, I announced a 27% increase in Government funding for the UN Agency, for its services to Palestinian refugees. This will amount to €11.4 million over the next three years. It represents a further significant increase in the Government's assistance to the Palestinian people in 2007, which increased by 40% last year, to €6.4 million.

Following my meetings on 31 January with Foreign Minister Livni, President Abbas and a number of other Israeli and Palestinian political figures, I travelled to Cairo on 1 February for meetings with three members of the Egyptian Government, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, General Omar Suleiman and Trade and Investment Minister Rasheid Mohamed Rasheid. My meetings built on the very positive discussions held during the visit to Ireland by President Mubarak in December. We reviewed developments in the Middle East Process and across the region and I raised in particular the role which Egypt is playing as part of the international efforts to resolve the crisis in Darfur. I also met with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, for a discussion on regional developments and Darfur. He also briefed me on his efforts to broker an agreed solution to the political crisis in Lebanon, through national dialogue. I assured him of the Government's full support for these efforts.

On 2 February, I met with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Beirut, and emphasised the Government's firm support both for his Government and for the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon. I briefed him on the Government's assistance for the reconstruction of Lebanon, in particular the pledge of an additional €2 million announced at the international conference on Lebanon in Paris on 25 January. He expressed particular appreciation for the longstanding involvement of the Defence Forces in the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission, since its inception in 1978.

I travelled to Southern Lebanon in order to meet the members of the Defence Forces who are serving with great distinction in the strengthened UNIFIL force, as part of a joint contingent with Finnish forces, which is based near the town of Marjayoun.