asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will now coordinate Ireland's relief efforts to save the starving people of Ethiopia by stating his plans in that regard; and if he will designate next Sunday as Ireland's day for Ethiopian famine relief.
Written Answers. - Ethiopian Famine Relief.
608.
Both I and the Minister of State at my Department are in continuous contact with the voluntary and other organisations providing emergency relief to Ethiopia. My Department was closely involved with the arrangements for the airlift of seven tons of emergency supplies which arrived in Ethiopia on 1 November and also covered the cost of a further airlift of 22 tons organised by GOAL which left Dublin a week later. We have also been in touch with Guinness Peat Aviation concerning another relief flight. In addition my Department has also had discussions with various organisations who will be involved in shipping up to 1,500 tons of food, building materials and emergency supplies to Ethiopia towards the end of this month. The shipment will be co-ordinated by CONCERN in co-operation with a number of other agencies and will be paid for from the funds allocated for emergency assistance to Ethiopia by the Government on 25 October. I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to provide whatever assistance is required to the voluntary organisations who have responded so magnificently to this crisis.
It is not considered either necessary or appropriate to designate a special day as the Deputy suggests. He will be aware of the initiatives taken by the various Churches and voluntary organisations in this regard and of the tremendous public response they are receiving. The crisis in Ethiopia has now become a matter of national concern and the Irish people are responding generously and selflessly to this cause.
609.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs in view of Ireland's Presidency of the European Council if he will ask Ireland's partners within the EEC to set up a European Ethiopian famine relief crusade to provide food, funds and other relief to a starving people.
The Deputy is no doubt aware of the actions which have already been taken by the Irish Presidency to secure an increased contribution by the European Community to the famine in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa. These efforts resulted in the recent decisions to allocate a further 32 MECU (about IR£23 million) for Africa to the emergency relief line of the Community budget. The Community has also decided to provide an additional 100,000 tonnes of cereals in emergency food aid to Africa.
The Government are currently considering what further action could be taken by the Community to respond to the famine situation in Ethiopia. As the Deputy will be aware, the Minister of State at my Department, Mr. O'Keeffe is to visit Ethiopia shortly to examine the situation there, including the Community's relief efforts, at first hand. The Deputy can be assured that the Government will make every effort to ensure that the Community contributes as generously and as effectively as possible to this tragic situation.