Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Global humanitarian needs have reached an all-time high in 2023. The UN estimates that 345 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 69 countries. Through our international development programme, Ireland has responded to the high levels of need with increased humanitarian funding. In 2022, Ireland’s swift responses to the Ukraine crisis and the danger of famine in the Horn of Africa saw the level of our humanitarian assistance rise to over €280 million.

In February this year, the Government provided €10 million in immediate emergency assistance to respond to the devastating earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria, including sending the largest ever shipment of life saving supplies from Ireland.

Most of the humanitarian assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs is managed by the Humanitarian Unit in the Department. We support a range of partners on the ground, including UN agencies, the Red Cross Family and civil society partners. These organisations have a strong track record of reaching the most vulnerable populations with life-saving assistance.

We also provide substantial funding to UN-managed humanitarian pooled funds. This includes seventeen country-level pooled funds, including for Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nigeria, Syria and Venezuela. We are also strong supporters of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which last year provided humanitarian funding to 42 countries across the globe.

In addition, Ireland provides humanitarian funding through our bilateral missions in Africa, most notably in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Uganda. Targeted programmes support vulnerable populations affected by conflict and displacement.

The Department's range of established partnerships and funding mechanisms provide Irish Aid with a wide reach across continents and countries. This is an effective way to rapidly channel humanitarian funding to where the needs are greatest.