Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2014
449. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total humanitarian aid provided to date to assist in dealing with the Ebola outbreak in west Africa; if it is proposed to provide further assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48986/14]
View answerThe spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa continues to present an enormous challenge to the international community. Working together we must continue to strengthen our response so that the necessary skilled personnel and medical facilities are funded, mobilised and deployed to West Africa to deal with the crisis. It is only by tackling this devastating Ebola outbreak at its source that we can eventually overcome it and save lives.
The EU and its Member States have now committed over €1.1 billion to the international Ebola response. Ireland too has been playing its part, financially and through the work on the ground of our Embassy in Sierra Leone. This year, Ireland has provided over €18 million, directly and through NGOs. Some €10 million has been provided through our annual development programmes in our partner countries in West Africa - Sierra Leone and Liberia. This support is focused particularly on strengthening the national health systems. We have also provided over €5.5 million in recent months specifically for Ebola treatment facilities and for work on contact-tracing, community mobilisation and child nutrition programmes, among other activities. We have delivered all of our announced funding.
Ireland will continue to support Sierra Leone and Liberia throughout 2015, and indeed beyond, as they emerge from the Ebola crisis and begin the process of restoring their economic and social structures.
