Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 April 2025
186. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the allocations of €1.5 million to OCHA and UNHCR respectively are the same as those included in Parliamentary Question No. 175 of 3 April 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19016/25]
View answer199. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, due to the challenges to the distribution of aid in Burma-Myanmar posed by the military junta, any measures are being taken to ensure the aid being provided will reach the people most in need of assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19017/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 199 together.
Myanmar has suffered devastating humanitarian and human rights crises for too long. Before the earthquake on 28 March, the UN's 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Myanmar had received less than 7% percent of the annual funding needed to provide life-saving assistance to the 5.3 million people in the most severe need, including more than 2 million children.
Ireland is committed to continuing to provide predictable funding to the humanitarian response in Myanmar. The devastating earthquake, and the hundreds of aftershocks, have compounded and multiplied needs in the country. On 29 March, the Tánaiste announced an immediate package of €6 million to support the people of Myanmar affected by the earthquake and to support the wider needs. The funding package included €3 million for the work of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) whose focus has been on immediate critical needs in health, water and shelter. The MRCS response teams have set up mobile health clinics and water purification units with volunteers providing first aid, urgent assistance and psychosocial first aid.
€3 million was also provided to the UN-managed Myanmar Humanitarian Fund and the UNHCR Rohingya Refugee Crisis Joint Response Plan. These two allocations were included in the response to Parliamentary Question referred to by the Deputy, on 3 April.
Ireland's partners are recognized as long-standing trusted humanitarian actors in Myanmar who adhere to the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality, impartiality and humanity and who have the ability to respond at scale, quickly and effectively.
The continuing conflict across the country complicates relief efforts. While most parties to the conflict have called for a temporary ceasefire in order to facilitate relief efforts, there are reports that the junta has conducted air strikes in earthquake affected areas, contributing to the suffering of the population and making humanitarian response more difficult. Ireland condemns these acts and calls on all conflict parties, including the military regime, to commit to a ceasefire.
Lack of access, as a result of actions by parties to the conflict, have made delivering aid in Myanmar difficult. As the earthquake occurred in areas mostly under the control of the junta, we remain in close contact with our partners on the challenges faced. Ireland continues to call for full and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in need across Myanmar, just as we continue to call for the restoration of legitimate, civilian government. We are committed to remaining actively engaged on the situation in Myanmar.
