10 Jun 2014, 11:53
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will tomorrow discuss the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan with representatives from Concern, Goal and Oxfam.
10 June 2014
The meeting comes on foot of increasing tensions within South Sudan, where five and a half months of violence has led to over a million people leaving their homes.
Chairman of the Committee Pat Breen TD says: “South Sudan is the world’s newest independent state, having seceded from Sudan three years ago. Despite considerable oil wealth, the country finds itself on the brink of catastrophe, with ethnic violence impeding the delivery of aid to the most vulnerable. Over one million people displaced and an estimated five million people are in dire need of assistance.
“Ireland’s response to the deteriorating situation and the humanitarian crisis in the region has been acknowledged as one of the more committed. Last month, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore TD announced an additional €2 million to support life-saving work there. However, greater action and financial assistance is required from the international community. At our meeting tomorrow with representatives from Concern, Goal and Oxfam, we will be able to get an up to date assessment of the nature of the crisis and establish what extra measures Ireland and Europe could take to help avert a looming humanitarian disaster.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 11 June in Committee Room 1, LH 2000 at 2:30 pm. The meeting will be broadcast live on Oireachtas UPC Channel 207 and be viewed online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Deputies:
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Gerald Nash, Labour
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators:
Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil