Darragh O'Brien (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of overseas development and humanitarian aid given to the Palestinian Territories in the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and up to September 2008. [35260/08]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Development and humanitarian assistance is provided to Palestine under a range of headings and, while the bulk of the funding is spent in the Palestinian Territories, an element is dispersed outside those territories, for instance, through the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees in some of the neighbouring States. Assistance is also provided to NGOs like Trócaire and Christian Aid in support of programmes in both Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Over the period in question, development and humanitarian funding has been dispersed as follows:

This funding included support for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) which provides basic services including health and education for Palestinian refugees; support for basic education services provided by the Palestinian Authority; support for a range of UN Agencies including the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA); and support for a range of NGOs and Civil Society Organisations to promote human rights. The figure for 2008 is for actual spending to the end of September. Further assistance will be delivered before the end of the year.