Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38062/25]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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We remain deeply concerned at the continuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Almost half of the population depend on humanitarian assistance to survive, including 12 million children. Years of conflict have decimated the population’s ability to recover, and widespread human rights abuses and food insecurity drive humanitarian need.

The Programme for Government re-instated our commitment to ensure attention is kept on the particular plight of women and girls in Afghanistan. Decrees imposed by the Taliban mean that women and girls are restricted from equal participation in society, including from education and employment.

The Government condemns these measures and will continue to work internationally to advocate for the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women and girls, and for a reversal of such policies and decrees.

We also remain a committed supporter of humanitarian response operations in Afghanistan.

Since 2020, Ireland has provided more than €20 million in humanitarian funding to the Afghanistan crisis. This has supported trusted humanitarian partners to deliver vital operations, including the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, the UNHCR, and Irish NGOs funded under our Civil Society Programme. Ireland is also one of the top ten donors to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, which recently allocated $1.7 million to the World Food Programme to support early action on drought in Afghanistan.

On 8 March 2025, International Women’s Day, I announced €4 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in support of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, and UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Response Plan, including their response to the specific needs of Afghan women and girls.