Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the plans he has to highlight the need for action to be taken at UN level on the crisis in Somalia; and the further steps he will take to ensure that aid reaches the Somalian people. [24394/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The humanitarian situation across Somalia remains grave, particularly in and around Mogadishu and I remain deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of Somalis and the aid community seeking to assist them. In what was already a precarious environment for humanitarian agencies, security and access have deteriorated even further in 2008. Security issues for those seeking to deliver relief in Somalia include random violence, piracy, kidnapping threats, the non-discriminating scourge of landmines and general banditry.

In view of these circumstances, Ireland has made substantial efforts to raise the crisis in Somalia at the UN level. I have closely followed the UN Security Council work on Somalia and my officials have raised the Somali situation with UN partners at every opportunity. I welcome the recent Djibouti Agreement, brokered by the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, but many armed groups remain outside the process. My officials will continue to raise the situation in Somalia in the appropriate fora, including in our bilateral consultations with UN agencies.

At the European level, recent Conclusions adopted by my colleagues and I on the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the EU called for unimpeded humanitarian access for relief agencies in Somalia and urged all parties to comply fully with international humanitarian law. The EU, including Ireland, will continue to extend whatever assistance it can to support the promotion of internal dialogue and national reconciliation within Somalia.

Ireland's commitment to the ongoing crisis in Somalia is demonstrated by our status as the seventh largest bilateral contributor to humanitarian endeavour in Somalia in 2007 when we provided funding of over €7 million. In response to the 2008 United Nations appeal for Somalia, funding of €3.1million has been provided to key UN humanitarian agencies in support of food security, health, shelter and coordination. In addition, €550,000 has been provided for HALO Trust's de-mining operations in Somaliland and €350,000 to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for basic health care in the Glacayo region, giving a total commitment in 2008 to date of €4,000,000. Additionally, our commitment has been complemented by three successive deployments of members of the Rapid Response Corps to assist UNHCR with their work for Somalia. We continue to monitor the humanitarian situation closely.