Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 51: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide figures for the State's contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees for the year to date and for 2010; the projected contribution in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33929/11]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is the UN agency which has responsibility for the provision of assistance and services to five million Palestinian refugees in five areas of operation, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. The agency operates essential programmes for its target population in areas such as basic education, health care, community employment and food aid for vulnerable families and delivers an annual budget of some €450 million.

Ireland has been, and continues to be, a strong supporter of UNRWA and its vital work. In 2010, Ireland pledged a commitment of €12 million over the three year period 2010-2012 to UNRWA's general fund and remains on target to meet this pledge. As a result, programme funding of €4 million has been provided in each of 2010 and 2011, including €2 million earmarked for use to assist the particularly vulnerable Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

In addition, a further €550,000 in humanitarian assistance was made available to UNRWA in 2011. This included €500,000 in response to the agency's emergency funding appeal in Gaza last month to address shortfalls in funding which represented a considerable threat to food supplies for vulnerable Palestinian families. Further support of €50,000 was provided for UNRWA's summer games programme for children in Gaza. This assistance brings total support to date in 2011 to €4.55 million. Over the past five years, funding of €21.7 million has been provided to assist UNRWA in helping vulnerable Palestinians.

Ireland's position as a key donor to UNRWA and the significant levels of funding provided over recent years to assist vulnerable populations have also resulted in Ireland's appointment to UNRWA's Advisory Commission in 2008, following a resolution of the UN General Assembly. The Advisory Commission provides guidance to UNRWA on key issues relating to the agency's management and organisation.