Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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734. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is funding available to bring underprivileged children and adults to Ireland for respite on humanitarian grounds (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11206/15]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade manages Ireland's significant programme of assistance for Palestine refugees, in the Occupied Territories and in refugee camps across the region. Ireland is providing over €10 million in support annually for the Palestinian people. This support addresses immediate humanitarian needs, as well as longer term development priorities and the promotion of human rights. While the most effective support is generally provided to established partners working in the region rather than to individual projects elsewhere, the Department will examine any new proposal for funding for Palestine refugees.

A key element of our programme includes support for the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which provides services and assistance to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees including over 449,000 in Lebanon.

Ireland provides €4 million annually to UNRWA's General Fund to support the delivery of core services, especially in education and health. In light of the particular challenges faced by Palestine refugees in Lebanon, €1 million of Ireland's annual contribution is earmarked for UNRWA's work there. A total of €10.5 million has been provided to UNRWA for their work in Lebanon since 2007, which includes programmes in the Shatila refugee camp.