Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1213: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if this proposal could assist the terrible tragedy in Pakistan. [32192/10]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The people of Pakistan have recently experienced the worst flooding in their history. The United Nations reports that the floods have affected an estimated 20 million people — or one tenth of the country's entire population. More than 1,700 people are known to have lost their lives as a result of the tragedy and with flood waters continuing to spread in areas such as Sindh, there are fears that this death toll may rise. In those areas where the flooding has receded, millions of people have been left destitute.

The Government has allocated more than €2.5 million in humanitarian assistance to help tackle this crisis, including through support for the activities of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Food Programme and UNICEF as well Concern, Trócaire, Goal and Plan Ireland. Irish Aid has also carried out two airlifts of supplies to Pakistan, the second of which provided shelter and water equipment for 33,000 people and was the single largest shipment of humanitarian supplies ever undertaken by the State. These airlifts were carried out on Ireland's behalf by the World Food Programme through its network of Humanitarian Response Depots.

In parallel with the Government's direct response to the crisis, Ireland also supports the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which provides immediate funds to UN agencies and NGOs in such emergencies. Ireland has provided €73 million to the CERF since 2006. Irish Aid also supports the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), to which €1 million has been provided in 2010.

Wider issues relating to heavy-lift transport and other logistics within the flood-hit regions are coordinated by the UN with the Government of Pakistan. At this stage, no request has been received with regard to the provision of additional external support along the lines proposed by the Deputy. In circumstances such as this one, light civilian helicopters are unfortunately unlikely to meet the needs of the UN and Pakistani Government given the logistical, geographical, technical and capacity issues involved. For the immediate future, the focus of the international community will continue to be centred on life-saving assistance in Pakistan but as flood waters recede, this will need to be complemented by projects to re-establish agricultural livelihoods and to restore basic services such as education, health and nutrition.

In this context, Ireland will continue to support the ongoing efforts being made by the Government of Pakistan, the United Nations and NGOs as they seek to provide rescue, relief and early recovery to those affected by the floods.