Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 229: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the assistance he will take to respond to the tragic situation in Haiti following the devastating earthquake; the actions being taken to encourage people here to be as generous as ever in assisting the efforts of numerous charities (details supplied) and other aid agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2789/10]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The entire world has been deeply moved by the plight of the Haitian people following last week's earthquake. The devastation which it has wrought is almost beyond belief and the impact on peoples' lives has been made all the worse by the levels of poverty experienced by most Haitians.

Casualties from the earthquake are believed to be in the tens, if not hundreds, of thousands and widespread destruction of infrastructure has been reported, including to schools and hospitals. Water and electricity supplies are down, and there is very limited communication. Immediately following the earthquake the Government announced it would contribute €2 million to the international relief effort in Haiti. This includes €1 million in response to an urgent UN appeal, with the remainder channelled via NGOs such as Concern, Goal and Trócaire, with whom we are in close contact. €250,000 has already been disbursed to the Red Cross.

This funding forms part of a €122 million humanitarian response by the European Union, agreed at an emergency meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council which I attended on Monday of this week. In addition, on Monday evening Ireland dispatched over 80 tonnes of essential humanitarian supplies to Haiti from our emergency stockpiles. These include plastic sheeting, blankets, kitchen sets, soap, and water containers sufficient for 8000 families, which will be distributed by Concern and Goal. This is one of the largest direct provisions of supplies funded by Ireland.

We have also deployed two members of our Rapid Response Corps, a 130-strong group of highly-skilled volunteers available at short notice to humanitarian organisations in need of their skills. The two concerned, and IT expert and an electrical engineer, have been assigned to the World Food Programme. Others, with skills in areas such as logistics, water and sanitation and child protection are on stand-by.

A small technical team made up of Irish Aid staff with experience in the humanitarian field and in Haiti itself, as well as a representative from the Defence Forces, has also been dispatched to Haiti. The team will report to me on how Ireland can best contribute to the international relief effort. Beyond the Government response, the Irish people have demonstrated their characteristic generosity in supporting appeals from a range of NGOs and UN agencies. This has been mirrored across the globe and reflects the will of the international community to respond to the immediate humanitarian needs of the Haitian people. The Government will ensure that Ireland continues to participate fully in this international effort and I would urge people to continue to make their own personal contribution by supporting the appeals of the relief agencies.