EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva to address Foreign Affairs Committee

Commissioner Georgieva will update the committee on key humanitarian priorities for the EU over the coming years. Taken collectively, the EU is the world’s largest humanitarian donor and accounts for around 40% of global humanitarian aid.

Committee Chairman, Pat Breen TD said: “As Commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva travels regularly both to Member States and to the field to discuss humanitarian priorities. This will be her second visit to Ireland and we are looking forward to discussing the chief humanitarian concerns for the EU.

This is particularly important given our Presidency of the European Union from January to June 2013 when Ireland will be expected to lead discussions within the EU on humanitarian issues and Irish officials will chair the Council’s Working Group on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid.

We will also discuss the Rapid Response Initiative and the possible development of a humanitarian hub at Shannon and receive an update on the status of the European Commission’s humanitarian aid budget.

Our meeting will also provide us with an opportunity to consider the current crises in the Horn of Africa, Sahel and South Sudan and the response by the EU and Ireland to the humanitarian needs in these areas.”

The meeting will start in Committee Room 3 at 2.30pm on Monday, 20th February.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at:

http://bit.ly/24YmPI

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee Membership

Pat Breen, TD (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, TD
Bernard J Durkan, TD
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, TD
Dara Murphy, TD
Gerald Nash, TD
Dan Neville, TD
Seán Ó Fearghaíl, TD
Maureen O’Sullivan, TD

Senators

Deirdre Clune,
Mark Daly,
Lorraine Higgins,
Michael Mullins,
David Norris,
Jim Walsh.