Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of Irish Aid given to the USA in relation to natural disasters, for example towards Hurricane Katrina and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21066/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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On 28 August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast of the United States with devastating effect. Total fatalities were recorded at 1,800 people, while it is estimated that the hurricane caused US$81 billion in damage.

In light of the scale of the humanitarian disaster, and as an act of solidarity with the American people at that most difficult time, the Government provided funding of €1 million through Irish Aid to assist those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Of the total, €700,000 was channelled to the American Red Cross through the Irish Red Cross. The remainder was disbursed by our Embassy in Washington to assist civil society groups in the Gulf Coast area in the local recovery effort.

Irish Aid has not provided any funding to the US for natural disaster response since Hurricane Katrina.