Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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180. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total humanitarian aid provided to date for Syria and that region; the level of financial assistance being provided for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14212/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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182. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the failure of the international community to provide adequate humanitarian aid to Syria and that region was discussed at the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council; the commitments made by the international community following Humanitarian Aid Pledging Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14214/14]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 182 together.

The protracted and tragic crisis in Syria has resulted in unprecedented levels of humanitarian need, requiring a sustained response from the international community. As the number of fatalities reaches an estimated 140,000 people, there are now over 9 million people within Syria who are in need of immediate life-saving support, with a further 2.5 million Syrian refugees requiring assistance in neighbouring countries.

Ireland has been to the fore in the international efforts to help alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people and is one of the most generous contributors to the humanitarian response on a per capita basis. In view of the immense needs in Syria and neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees, I announced a pledge of a further €12 million in humanitarian assistance in 2014 at the Second International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria and the region in Kuwait on January 15th 2014. This additional pledge brings Ireland’s overall funding commitment over the period 2011 to 2014 to €26.011 million, of which €19 million has been disbursed to date. Funds have been provided to a range of established UN partners as well as to Irish NGOs.

Ireland has been consistent in its efforts to ensure that the necessary attention is given by the international community to this crisis, including at the at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels last week where discussions were focussed, in particular, on the humanitarian consequences of the conflict, both within Syria and in its neighbouring countries. Ireland has consistently matched our material humanitarian contribution with concrete support to international efforts to find a sustainable political solution to the crisis, and to advocate for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. We have called for all parties to the conflict to fully respect international humanitarian law and to refrain from the targeting of civilians. Ireland will continue to advocate at all relevant international fora for increased support to the humanitarian relief effort, as well as for the full and immediate implementation by all parties to the conflict of UN Security Council Resolution 2139 on humanitarian assistance for the Syrian people.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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181. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total humanitarian aid provided to date for the Philippines following the typhoon; the level of financial assistance being provided for 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14213/14]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever recorded, hit the Philippines on 8 November. It is estimated that the Typhoon affected more than 14 million people, with almost 4 million remaining displaced, including some 1.5 million children. Over 6,000 lives have been lost to date and almost 1800 people are still missing. Ireland was among the first to respond to this disaster, providing immediate, life-saving assistance. Our contribution to date stands at over €4.1 million making us one of the most generous contributors to this relief effort on a per capita basis.

I have just returned from a visit to the island of Leyte in the Philippines where I saw at firsthand the devastation caused by the typhoon. An enormous amount has been achieved over the past four months, including through Irish-funded programmes, some of which I visited during my two day visit to the island. However millions of people still require urgent assistance to rebuild their lives and livelihoods and during my visit I pledged a further €3 million in funding to demonstrate Ireland’s commitment to supporting the Philippines over the longer term, particularly as international attention has shifted elsewhere.

This contribution will bring Ireland’s total contribution to the Typhoon response to more than €7 million. The funding will help to ensure that affected communities can rebuild their livelihoods and strengthen their resilience to prepare for any future natural disasters in the region.

Over €2.6million of our funding has been provided through our key NGO partners. It is being used for the provision of emergency food and non-food items; water, sanitation and hygiene; emergency health care and the protection of vulnerable women and children. It is benefitting up to 50,000 households.

My colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has also authorised a contribution of €500,000 to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to support its work to restore the livelihoods of farmers affected bythe Typhoon.

To date, Ireland has authorised four airlifts of essential relief items from our emergency pre-positioned stocks. The total amount of essential relief items provided by Ireland is 166 tonnes, valued at €967,000. According to the latest figures, Ireland is the second largest contributor of emergency stocks through the UN World Food Programme Humanitarian Response Depot system. In addition, we deployed five members of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps to the Philippines to assist UN relief teams.