Before we start, I thank Trócaire, Concern, the Irish Red Cross and Médicins san Frontières for the briefing they supplied to members before the meeting.
I welcome Her Excellency Mrs. Naghmana A. Hashmi, ambassador to Ireland of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The ambassador is accompanied by Mr. Arshed Saud Khosa, from the Pakistani embassy. I also welcome Deputy Peter Power, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for overseas development. The Minister is accompanied by Mr. Brendan Rogers, director general of Irish Aid, and Mr. Felim McLoughlin, also from Irish Aid.
I also welcome the representatives in the Visitors Gallery. They include Mr. Niels Rasmussen, representing the Danish embassy, Ms Nina MacKenzie, representing the British embassy, Ms Despoina Valamvou, representing the Greek embassy, Kim Wallis who is representing Trócaire, Mr. Peter Glennon, representing the US embassy, Ambassador Devriese from Belgium, Mr. Shaheen Ahmed, representing the Islamic Culture Centre, Ms Antoinette Rademan, representing the South African embassy, Ms Ingrid Szabo, representing the Croatian embassy, and the representatives of Concern, Mr. Derek McDowell, Mr. Paul O'Brien and Ms Lucia Ennis.
The current situation in Pakistan following the continuous flooding of recent weeks and days remains dire. At this stage it could not be described as a disaster but as a catastrophe of major proportions. More than 1,500 people have been killed and more than 6 million people have already been made homeless. The flood waters are continuing to rise, particularly in the southern Sindh province. Millions more people are estimated to be going hungry and official estimates put the total number of people affected by the flooding at more than 15 million. Some 900,000 houses have been destroyed as well as the lives of many people. There are also fears about the spread of disease such as cholera, with outbreaks more likely among the 6 million left homeless and living in unhygienic conditions in the intense heat. Up to 500,000 people are living in about 5,000 schools in flood-hit areas, where poor hygiene and sanitation along with cramped quarters and stifling heat provide fertile ground for potentially fatal diseases.
The worst floods in decades have destroyed villages, bridges and roads, and raise concerns that militants will exploit the misery and chaos. Yesterday, Pakistan's Foreign Minister confirmed the country had so far been pledged €520 million by the international community. Figures of up to €700 million were mentioned beyond that. However, that figure is tiny in comparison with the amount the country needs to fund recovery from the flood and the €35 billion debt it already has. As well as asking for aid, Pakistani officials are seeking debt relief from the International Monetary Fund while they deal with the crisis, which is expected to cost €10 billion. The Government has pledged a total of €2 million in humanitarian assistance to the Pakistani people. Funding is being provided to UN agencies and NGOs responding to the floods, including Concern, Trócaire and the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA.
On 16 August the shipment of large tents from Ireland stockpiled in Brindisi was sent to Pakistan. They will be used to provide emergency shelter to hundreds of affected families. Ireland's rapid response corps of humanitarian experts is on standby to deploy upon request by partner UN agencies and a number of NGOs. Finally, we will hear from the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, about Ireland's contribution to this catastrophe.
I congratulate the Minister of State on his immediate reaction when the floods began in allocating €200,000, if I remember correctly, and increasing it to €2 million shortly afterwards. The Minister of State can also brief the committee on last week's emergency meeting of the United Nations in New York, which he attended. I will then ask Ambassador Hashmi to update the joint committee on the current situation in her country and on what Ireland and the wider international community can do to intensify the aid effort. Following both presentations there will be questions from members.
Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice or rulings of the Chair to the effect that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. By virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. That is a new development as far as witnesses are concerned. If you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise nor make charges against any person(s) or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.
I invite the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, to address the meeting following which we will hear a presentation from Ambassador Hashmi.