asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state what has been the result of the Irish Red Cross collection for the World Refugee year.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - World Refugee Year Collection.
39.
It is as yet too soon to furnish precise results of the National Collection held in November. I understand that a report on the collection will be presented to a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Irish Red Cross Society early in January. There has already been in addition to the national collection an encouraging response from a number of business firms and individual subscribers. I am advised that it is proposed to publish a first list of such subscriptions on Monday, 11th January. I am confident that by then the Red Cross Society will be able to announce in respect of the first months of the appeal a substantial contribution to the Refugee Fund.
I trust that those firms and individuals who have not yet sent in their subscriptions will do so without delay and thus ensure that Ireland's contribution to the World Refugee Year Fund will be worthy of our traditions of Christian charity and of warm sympathy for human suffering.