Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the overseas development assistance funding allocated to organisations in the United States of America for the years 2005, 2006 and to date in 2007; if organisations were funded, the purpose of these organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36014/07]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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In response to the humanitarian emergency caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and as an expression of solidarity with the people of the United States, Ireland provided €1 million in emergency funding to the disaster effort. Approximately €700,000 was delivered via the Irish Red Cross to the American Red Cross, and a further €300,000 was committed by our Embassy in Washington to support civil society and community based organisations working in the affected region with the recovery effort.

My Department, through Irish Aid, has also provided €490,000 over the period 2005 to 2007 to support field based humanitarian research in emergency environments. This research, carried out by the Feinstein International Centre, in Massachusetts, is designed to assist international humanitarian organisations and NGO's to respond more effectively in crises situations. The work also focuses on protecting the vulnerable in conflict situations and in rebuilding livelihoods in the aftermath of emergencies and is part of Irish Aid's commitment to best humanitarian practice.

The Deputy will also be aware that Ireland makes significant ODA eligible payments to many organisations having their headquarters in the United States of America — the UN and the IMF / World Bank being obvious cases in point. Those, mainly multilateral organisations, have as their main objective the economic and social advancement of developing countries. Contributions to those organisations are published in the Irish Aid Annual Reports.