Vol. 461 No. 1
65 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the humanitarian or other aid, if any, that has been made available by the Government in 1994-95 to assist the victims of Chernobyl/Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2344/96]
Last year the Government disbursed a total of £150,000 for medical programmes in the Chernobyl region. This assistance was channelled throught the World Health Organisation and to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The first grant of £75,000 was allocated to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support a medical programme for early identification and treatment of children with thyroid cancer in Chernobyl. In August we also responded to the World Health Organisation's appeal to contain the diphtheria epidemic which has broken out in the Russian Federation, the Ukraine and the other newly independent states in recent years. The Government's donation of £75,000 was targeted at the worst affected areas in Belarus and the Ukraine.
I am aware of the excellent work carried out by voluntary groups in Ireland, set up in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion, which focus on the special needs of affected children in the region. Their activities include arranging summer holidays in Ireland for up to 250 children from Chernobyl and last year Government funding for the holiday programme was made available by my Department and by the Department of Health.
Further appeals for assistance to the Chernobyl region will be viewed sympathetically by my Department.
