Vol. 420 No. 3
44 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether this country have any plans to provide aid for Somalia to alleviate the appalling conditions there so graphically highlighted in a series of recent RTE reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
48 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline any specific plans he has to make funds available to voluntary organisations wishing to provide aid to the people of Somalia; and if he will provide a timetable for the implementation of these plans.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 48 together.
The Government are very concerned about the situation in Somalia, which has developed into an appalling human disaster since the outbreak of the civil war in 1991. Many thousands of people have lost their lives or been injured in the violence; there are serious food shortages due to drought as well as a massive displacement of persons.
The scale of the needs is so vast that the problem must be confronted at international level, and I am glad to say that, despite the critical security situation, in particular in Mogadishu, the United Nations and other relief agencies are pressing ahead with the relief effort.
Ireland is playing its part in the efforts to help the people of Somalia. So far this year £75,000 has been allocated from the Disaster Relief Fund to agencies involved in relief work there. In response to representations which have been made to me about the critical needs of Somalia, I have decided to allocate a further £50,000 to Concern and Goal to provide essential medicines and this money will be handed over later this week. This will bring the total Government bilateral contribution to £125,000 this year.
The European Community is helping with emergency relief and long term aid. The total value of EC assistance to Somalia so far is £24 million of which £10 million was allocated under the recently agreed Special Food Aid Programme.
On the political front, Ireland has fully supported and will continue to support the United Nations initiatives aimed at restoring peace in Somalia.
