Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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228. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to provide additional humanitarian aid to assist in Gaza, particularly with the needs of children, due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25650/15]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposals he put forward at recent European Union Foreign Affairs Councils, regarding the need to provide additional humanitarian aid to the Gaza region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25651/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.

During my visit to Gaza earlier this year, I saw first-hand the devastating humanitarian consequences of last year’s conflict, and the particularly difficult impact on children, which compounded already difficult living conditions. As an immediate response to the Gaza crisis, Ireland provided €500,000 to the Emergency Appeal of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to help provide urgently needed food, shelter and medical aid to thousands of families many of whom had to flee their homes.

At the International Gaza Reconstruction Conference, which I attended last October, I pledged a further €2.5 million towards both urgent immediate needs as well as long term recovery efforts. €1 million of this has been provided to UNRWA’s Gaza Emergency Appeal. A further €500,000 will be provided to UN partners this year with the remaining €1 million of the pledge to be disbursed in 2016.

The support provided to Gaza is in addition to our broader programme of assistance to the Palestinian people which currently amounts to over €10 million annually, and addresses immediate humanitarian needs, as well as development priorities, education and the promotion of human rights.

Ireland will continue to press, at EU level and elsewhere, to maintain focus on the humanitarian needs in Gaza and for an end to the blockade. The EU has consistently called for the opening of Gaza, and a broad change of Israeli policies there, most recently in the Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council in November last. I made these points directly to the Israeli Foreign Minister during my visit to the region earlier this year. Since my appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I have strongly advocated for a stronger EU involvement in the Peace Process. The Middle East Peace Process was discussed most recently at the May Foreign Affairs Council and HRVP Mogherini briefed Ministers on her recent visit to the region with EU Special Representative, Fernando Gentilini at this month’s FAC.

I endeavour to use all appropriate opportunities in my international engagements as Minister to press for progress in restarting peace talks in the region. In the meantime, we will continue to offer the humanitarian support which is essential in addressing the ongoing basic and emergency needs of the Palestinian people.