Written answers

Tuesday, 26 April 2016

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Overseas Development Aid Data

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps taken to rebuild Gaza following pledges made at a conference in Cairo in 2014; the aid committed by the Government to this project; the actual expenditure by the Government on this project to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8023/16]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is a longstanding supporter of the Palestinian people and, through the Irish Aid programme, we currently provide some €10 million annually in development and humanitarian assistance. The 2014 conflict in Gaza compounded an already serious humanitarian situation, with a high level of civilian casualties and large scale internal displacement. During my visit to Gaza last year, I saw first-hand the appalling destruction, and the particularly difficult impact on children, which has exacerbated already difficult living conditions. As an immediate response to the Gaza crisis, Ireland provided €500,000 in July 2014 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 had to flee their homes. At the International Gaza Reconstruction Conference, which I attended in October 2014, I pledged a further €2.5 million towards urgent immediate needs and long term recovery efforts. €2 million of this has been provided to UNRWA’s Gaza Emergency Appeal. The remaining €500,000 of Ireland’s pledge will be provided to UN partners this year.

The World Bank is taking the lead on monitoring pledges made at the International Gaza Reconstruction Conference and its most recent report of 19 April 2016 indicates that 40% of the funding pledged at the Conference has been disbursed. I am aware that the current rate of disbursement is less than expected, contributing to a pace of reconstruction much slower than needed. According to the report, only 9% of totally damaged houses and 45% partially damaged houses have so far been rebuilt, and 14,800 families continue to be displaced. The amount of construction material imported into Gaza continues to be lower than needed.

Ireland will fulfil its pledge in full this year and I would urge all countries to fulfil their pledges. It should be recalled, of course, that many of the pledges made, like Ireland’s, were to be phased over a period of time. Many States made clear that their willingness to donate was linked to progress in discussions to ensure that this type of conflict did not happen again. Unfortunately, there has been very little progress in this regard.

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 on the territory.

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