Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 49 together.

Last October, during my visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories to see the impact of Ireland’s aid programme, I witnessed firsthand the very difficult conditions on the ground in Gaza. I saw how the ongoing political turmoil and insecurity in the Middle East is resulting in a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. I share the concerns expressed recently by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. James Rawley. Indeed I had the opportunity to discuss these issues with him during my visit.

While Israeli restrictions have eased marginally in recent times, the overall situation in Gaza has worsened in recent months as Egypt has taken action against smuggling into Gaza, in response to its own security concerns. The existing fuel shortfall and shortage of supply of building materials, accentuated by the closure of tunnels, is affecting the daily lives of residents, their electricity supply and water and sewage facilities.

High youth unemployment, low wages and high food prices remain serious concerns. The food security situation, however, is the principal cause for alarm. More than 800,000 of the over 1.2 million Palestine refugees in Gaza receive food assistance from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is providing basic education, health, relief and social services for some 5 million registered Palestinian refugees across the region.

Ireland has responded to the current crisis by providing additional funding of €500,000 to UNRWA to support the food assistance element of their Gaza Emergency Appeal. This brings Ireland’s total contribution to UNRWA’s appeals for Gaza to €4.64 million since 2006. UNRWA’s food assistance provides a lifeline for thousands of refugee families in Gaza and helps to prevent a potentially large scale crisis in a context where an estimated 57% of households are classified as food insecure.

This funding support is in addition to Ireland’s broader programme of assistance to the Palestinian people and brings our total funding support to date in 2013 to €8.3 million. This includes support to UNRWA’s general fund, the Palestinian Authority, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and civil society organisations working to promote human rights and democratisation.

In addition to our humanitarian support, the Government raises the problems facing Gaza and its people both directly with Israel and through EU engagement with Israel. This includes regular contacts between the Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Israeli authorities, and between officials and the Israeli Embassy in Dublin. In addition to my own visit, the Tánaiste travelled to Gaza last year to highlight the desperate living conditions being experienced by people as a result of the blockade of the territory. Ireland also raised the situation in Gaza in the universal review of Israel at the UN Human Rights Council in October. In these contacts, we consistently call on Israel to end the restrictions on Gaza, and call on other states to do more to exert pressure in this regard.

Ireland will continue to support actively the search for a lasting and peaceful political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the wider region. In the meantime we will continue to offer the humanitarian support which is essential in addressing the ongoing basic needs of the Palestinian people.