Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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21. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the priorities for Ireland at the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit; and the way he will address these matters in the May 2015 meeting here. [8240/15]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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We currently face an unprecedented scale of humanitarian need around the world. The international community is severely challenged by the number and the seriousness humanitarian crises, driven by conflict, chronic instability and economic and environmental shocks. Against this backdrop, the UN Secretary-General is convening a World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 to identify ways to meet increasing humanitarian needs as effectively as possible.

The UN is at present organising a series of regional consultations in the lead up to the Global Summit next year. These focus on four themes – humanitarian effectiveness; reducing vulnerability and managing risk; transformation and innovation and serving the needs of people in conflict.

Here in Ireland, five stakeholder groups engaged in humanitarian action - civil society, academia, diaspora communities, and the public and private sectors - have come together to reflect on the four priority themes and shape Ireland’s contribution to the global process. This unique collaboration will also offer the Irish public the opportunity to give their views through online consultation. The process will culminate in an Irish Humanitarian Summit, to be held in Dublin in May 2015.

I see this as an important opportunity to recognise Ireland’s strong humanitarian tradition and to re-affirm our national commitment to principled and effective humanitarian action. It offers a real opportunity to forge innovative solutions and build Irish partnerships that can add value in humanitarian response. Above all, our deliberations should ensure that the people affected by humanitarian crises are at the centre of our considerations. The messages from the Irish Summit will inform our participation in the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in 2016.