asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the Government's response to the threatened famine in Ethiopia; and the moneys or other resources which will be made available in 1987-1988 for these urgent purposes.
36.
Written Answers. - Threatened Famine in Ethiopia.
31.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, he proposes to take to assist in the alleviation of famine in Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
39.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, he is taking in conjunction with the non-governmental aid organisations to prevent further deterioration in the food situation in Ethiopia.
58.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that six million people are facing starvation in famine-wrecked Ethiopia; when he intends to respond to this critical situation; and the way in which he proposes to do so.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 36, 39 and 58 together.
My Department has been monitoring the food situation in Ethiopia since the failure of the crucial summer rains first gave cause for concern. It was recognised that the realities of the problem in Ethiopia demanded an early response from donors if food aid and other forms of relief assistance are to reach the threatened populations in time. With that consideration in mind I have over recent months allocated a total of £355,000 from my Department's disaster relief fund towards famine relief in Ethiopia. Of that amount £185,000 has been allocated to Irish non-Governmental aid organisations i.e. Concern, Goal and Trócaire. The balance has been allocated to three major international relief organisations i.e. UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations disaster relief organisation in respect of their famine relief programmes in Ethiopia. In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Food is making arrangements at the moment to ship 3,386 tonnes of wheat to Ethiopia under the Food Aid Convention. This represents a significant and timely response to the emergency in Ethiopia and one which takes account of the major relief role played by non-Governmental organisations during the course of the 1984-85 famine. My Department will continue to keep the situation under constant review.