Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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206. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the various Irish and other national aid agencies continue to assist in the fight against Ebola; the degree to which the outbreaks are being contained; if adequate health and safety precautions continue to be taken by medical and aid workers in the areas affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8664/15]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Through the work on the ground of our Embassy in Sierra Leone and our significant financial support, and of a range of Irish NGOs, Ireland is playing a leading role in the international response to the Ebola crisis. These efforts are finally beginning to show progress as transmission rates decline.

The EU and its Member States have so far committed over €1.2 billion to the Ebola response. In 2014, Ireland provided over €18 million, directly and through NGOs, to the most affected countries. This included some €10 million through our annual development programmes in our partner countries - Sierra Leone and Liberia – which have a particular focus on strengthening the national health systems. We have provided over €5.6 million specifically for Ebola treatment facilities and for work on contact-tracing, community mobilisation and child nutrition programmes, among other activities. We will maintain this strong focus in 2015.

Exposure of health-care workers continues to be a feature of the outbreak, with some 830 health personnel known to have developed Ebola and 488 reported deaths. High-quality local treatment and medical evacuation facilities are now in place and available to all EU medical staff.

The wider implications of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa are also serious. A secondary crisis is emerging due to the impact on food security, nutrition, employment and economic growth as normal agricultural and market activities have been disrupted. I will be attending a high-level international conference on Ebola in Brussels on 3 March, which will focus both on short-term needs and on longer-term recovery and development. Attendance will also include the EU High Representative as well as the Presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.