Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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73. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline current operations of Ireland’s humanitarian standby roster, the Rapid Response Corps; the number of applications received during the 2013 recruitment drive; the number of persons called for interview; if he will provide details on the number of persons successful in the interview stage before moving onto the second stage of the recruitment process, a two-part training course; the number of persons he intends to bring onto the 2013 roster as a result of this initiative; the way this recruitment drive was communicated and if his Department went to lengths to seek the most suitably qualified persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37111/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps is made up of highly-skilled experts who can be deployed at short notice to assist in emergency relief efforts in different parts of the world. When deployed, Corps members primarily fill specific skills gaps identified by four UN standby partner organisations: the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR); the World Food Programme (WFP); the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The roster currently comprises 192 individuals with specialised skills in areas such as child protection, gender, humanitarian coordination, information management, logistics, public health, and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene). The 2013 recruitment exercise is intended to increase the number of experts on the roster and strengthen capacity in specific areas. Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps is in high demand and members fill key skill gaps in humanitarian emergencies, a testament to the effectiveness of the recruitment and training process over the past number of years. Since the establishment of the Corps in 2007, members of the roster have deployed on 206 occasions to 42 countries. There are currently 13 members from the roster on deployment in 8 countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia and South Sudan) supporting the humanitarian relief operations of our UN partner agencies.

Recruitment of Rapid Response Corps roster members is undertaken on an annual basis through a panel interview process. The 2013 recruitment notice was advertised on the Irish Aid website, the Dóchas (Irish NGO umbrella body) website and through the communication channels of UN Standby Partner agencies. My office received a total of 57 applications and following a short-listing process, 35 people were called for interview.

Short-listing is based on an assessment of the quality of applications received. Roster members are required to hold an appropriate technical qualification and possess substantial relevant professional experience, preferably in a humanitarian context, demonstrate a commitment to humanitarian values, and be in a position to deploy at short notice for periods of 3 to 6 months.

The 2013 recruitment process is still ongoing. Panel interviews were completed on Wednesday 11th September and the Interview Board report and decisions are currently being considered for approval by my officials. Successful candidates will be invited for induction training, which will take place from the 14th to the 24th of October 2013. This training course, which can cater for up to 20 people, is mandatory for deployment and is delivered in partnership with the Irish Defence Forces.

The subsequent selection of roster members for deployment is undertaken by the UN agencies by matching skills, experience and competencies with the vacancy. When an Irish roster member is selected by the UN Partner, Irish Aid makes all the necessary travel and preparatory arrangements (visa, travel, insurance and medical) and provides ongoing support throughout the deployment.

The Rapid Response Initiative was externally reviewed in 2011 and was highly praised as a practical example of Ireland’s commitment to delivering on the core humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. The review found that the Corps was effective in targeting Irish assistance at some of the most serious crisis situations in the world and alleviating suffering in a wide range of contexts - both sudden onset as well as prolonged complex emergencies.