Michael Creed
Question:70 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself with the Government's response to hurricane Mitch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27749/98]
Vol. 498 No. 4
70 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself with the Government's response to hurricane Mitch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27749/98]
I am satisfied that Ireland, in the initial aftermath of hurricane Mitch, responded swiftly and generously to the humanitarian crisis in central America by approving a total of £550,000 from the emergency humanitarian assistance fund administered by my Department. Ireland's assistance is being disbursed through Trócaire, APSO, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the World Health Organisation and the World Food Programme. The amount of assistance received by each agency and its purpose is as follows: grants totaling £100,000 to Trócaire for immediate relief, which includes meeting the needs in nine severely affected municipalities in Honduras; grants totaling £80,000 to ASPO for humanitarian assistance in Honduras and Nicaragua; a grant of £120,000 to the International Federation of the Red Cross. The federation, along with its national societies, is able to disburse these funds to where they are most needed, including other countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador; a grant of £100,000 to the World Health Organisation for emergency medical supplies on behalf of all countries affected within the region; and a grant of £150,000 to the World Food Programme towards its emergency feeding operation for the most vulnerable victims of the hurricane in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.