Theresa Ahearn
Question:6 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the response Ireland has made to the devastating earthquake in India.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Earthquake in India.
Donal Carey
Question:27 Mr. Carey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the response Ireland has made to the devastating earthquake in India.
Charles Flanagan
Question:48 Mr. Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the response Ireland has made to the devastating earthquake in India.
Nora Owen
Question:105 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the response, if any, Ireland has made to the devastating earthquake in India.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 27, 48 and 105 together.
The Government has allocated £100,000 from the Emergency Humanitarian Relief Fund to assist the victims of the earthquake in the Indian state of Maharastra. The Government's assistance is being channelled through five Irish NGOs: Concern, GOAL, Christian Aid and World Vision Ireland as well as through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Government will decide on possible further emergency assistance in the light of the information which we obtain from the Irish NGOs and the international agencies which are helping the relief operation in the area.
As Deputies are aware, this tragedy took place while the President was in India on her State visit and she immediately sent a message of sympathy on behalf of the Irish people to the President of India. The Taoiseach has also expressed the Government's condolences to the Indian Prime Minister. I would like to take this opportunity to add my own personal sympathy to the Government and people of India on the occasion of this terrible tragedy.
I too should like to express my sympathy to the Indian people on this horrific tragedy. It is almost incomprehensible how this sort of tragedy could affect so many people. It is equivalent to a town like Clonmel or Kilkenny being wiped out overnight. That gives one an idea of the depth of the tragedy. Are there proposals to make more money available, in addition to the £100,000 the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, announced when in India? Will the Minister review the possibility of sending people with particular expertise that might be required in the re-establishment of these communities that have been completely wiped out? Will he make the requisite moneys available and grant leave of absence to people from, for example, local authorities and so on who might be willing to assist in rebuilding those communities?
The question of additional funds is one the Government will decide when it obtains an assessment of the position described by Deputy Owen? We will receive that assessment from the Irish NGOs and international agencies helping in the relief operations. When we receive that assessment I hope we shall be in a position to respond generously, as our people have done on many occasions when world tragedies occurred.
In assessing the additional response the Government might make, will the Minister bear in mind that India, when these priority countries were established in the seventies, was one of our priority countries? We have a long, historic association with India. Will he agree that as this tragedy was so enormous there is an obligation on us to put our best foot forward and help in any way we can the people there to pick up what is left after this tragedy?
I am well aware of the historic links between India and Ireland. Those links certainly were strengthened during the course of our President's visit to that country last week. It would be our intention to do everything possible to assist but, obviously, we shall have to await an assessment by the agencies or NGOs on the ground. When we receive that we will be in a position to assess what are their needs. Initially, it was a question of getting funding in for relief as quickly as possible. When we assess whatever is desirable and necessary we will be able to do whatever is required of an Irish Government. On Deputy Owen's question, if there is a call for specialist services, medical or otherwise, I am sure the Government will respond favourably.
Is the Minister aware that a number of people who give voluntary service abroad, who would be willing to give voluntary service in India, Romania and so on, are in receipt of social welfare here but, if abroad for a three or six month period have social welfare deductions made? Will he make representations to the Minister for Social Welfare, to consider allowing such people to continue in benefit when they return and, indeed, be paid for the period of their absence?
The Deputy is raising a matter which is essentially one for another Minister.
The matter raised by Deputy Mitchell is one of the difficulties that people who work abroad on international assistance experience. As the Deputy has raised it I will bring it to the attention of the Minister for Social Welfare.