Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on correspondence from a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; the efforts he has made or is proposing to make to address the concerns expressed; the number of Irish non-governmental organisations in Somalia; the number of Irish volunteers currently working in Somalia; the addresses of the NGO's involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24859/08]

Peter Power (Limerick East, 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.

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. Ireland has made substantial efforts to raise the crisis in Somalia at the EU level. Conclusions adopted by the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 16 June called for unimpeded humanitarian access for relief agencies in Somalia and urged all parties to comply fully with international humanitarian law.

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 €3.1 million has been provided to key UN humanitarian agencies in support of food security, health, shelter and coordination. Irish Aid also supports the work of Concern in Somalia and, since 2007, has allocated €2.67 million to its work in that country.

An Irish Concern development worker is currently based in Nairobi, Kenya from where support is provided to Concern's Somalian staff in-country. World Vision Ireland also received €1,237,521 from Irish Aid in 2007 for its work in Somalia while Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) received €700,000 in the same year. The above commitment has been complemented by three successive deployments of members of the Rapid Response Corps to assist UNHCR with their work for Somalia. I will communicate with the Deputy the addresses of the organisations concerned.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the EU is providing resources or personnel to help monitor the second round of elections in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24909/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union and Ireland had strongly supported providing resources and personnel to help monitor the second round of the presidential elections in Zimbabwe. However, Zimbabwean Government representatives have made clear their refusal to accept monitors from the EU. As will be appreciated it is simply not possible to monitor elections without host country consent. I utterly condemn the systematic campaign of state-sponsored political violence and intimidation which has made it impossible to hold free and fair elections and which left Morgan Tsvangirai no option but to withdraw from the run-off against President Mugabe. It appears as if the elections may nevertheless proceed. If so, the outcome of such a charade can have no legitimacy.

I strongly welcome the clear and unequivocal position taken by the UN Security Council on Monday in unanimously condemning the violence, which has led to scores of deaths. It is imperative now that the international community continue to speak with one voice and work together to resolve the crisis and chart a democratic future which reflects the wishes of the people of Zimbabwe. The African Union and governments in the region, especially South Africa, have a particular responsibility to bring all possible influence to bear.