Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 2

Written Answers. - UN High Commission for Refugees.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

70 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contributions Ireland has made to the UNHCR in each of the past three years, including the current year; and if he will increase this by a significant amount in future years. [5284/01]

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

71 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the annual contribution by Ireland to the operation of the UNHCR office in Dublin for the past three years, including the current year; the number of years in advance this contribution is guaranteed; the conditions which are attached to the contribution; and if the contribution is counted as part of Ireland's official development assistance. [5285/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 71 together.

The UN High Commission for Refugees is one of the most important agencies within the UN development system, marking its 50th anniversary in December 2000. While it was originally intended to have a lifespan of only three years, the UNHCR's mandate has been continually renewed in the years since 1950. With more than one million people forced to flee their homes in 1999, the problem of forced displacement remains a major concern of the international community into the 21st century. Today, UNHCR activities assist 22 million people worldwide. The UNHCR and the new High Commissioner, former Dutch Prime Minister, Ruud Lubbers, face huge challenges in areas such as Chechnya, Kosovo, East Timor, Afghanistan, Congo, Sierra Leone and Angola. In recent years UNHCR workers have paid with their lives to protect refugees fleeing conflict.

In line with established policy, the UNHCR is one of the largest recipients of Ireland Aid funding. In 1999, Ireland Aid made a voluntary contribution of £1.31 million to UNHCR's core resources. This rose to £1.6 million in 2000. In 2001, the voluntary core contribution rose to £3 million, not earmarked in its entirety and representing an increase of more than 87%.

Ireland Aid has also entered into a multi-annual funding arrangement with the UNHCR, covering the three year period from 2001 to 2003. Indicative figures of £4.65 million and £5.5 million for core contributions in 2002 and 2003 respectively have been conveyed to UNHCR. Towards the end of this three year cycle, Ireland Aid will seek consultations with the UNHCR with a view to evaluating future contributions. A multi-annual funding framework gives the High Commission much needed financial predictability in planning its future programmes and activities.

Ireland pledged this year's contribution at an emergency meeting of UNHCR donors in Geneva in December 2000 which was convened to deal with the High Commission's acute liquidity crisis. Ireland's greatly increased contribution in 2001 is a mark of our strong commitment to the vital work which the UNHCR carries out on behalf of the world's displaced at a time when demands on the agency are at an all time high. This level of funding should place Ireland among the UNHCR's top 15 donors and is real evidence of how our expanded aid budget can help us play a leadership role in responding to a global humanitarian emergency.

In addition to core contributions, we fund specific programmes under the aegis of the High Commission. In 2000 Ireland Aid allocated £200,000 to UNHCR activities in East Timor where the UNHCR has taken on the role of providing shelter to the returning refugees. In 1999, £1.25 million was granted to UNHCR programmes in East Timor, Kosovo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some £900,000 of this amount was allocated in response to the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to Kosovo during the Balkans crisis. In 1998, humanitarian assistance to the UNHCR totalled £500,000 and focused on Angola, Mali, Niger, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

Officials from Ireland Aid met the UNHCR in Geneva at the end of January to discuss how best we can use our increased contribution to help the UNHCR in overcoming the challenges it faces. The UNHCR has been involved in processing arrangements for asylum applications in Ireland for a number of years. Under the Refugee Act, 1996, the role of UNHCR in this regard is specifically recognised.

The provision of funding towards the cost of the operation of the UNHCR office in Dublin is a matter for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Such contributions are subject to compliance with all relevant public financial procedures and may be counted as part of Ireland's official development assistance. It is understood from that Department that approval was given for funding the location of a UNHCR liaison officer in Dublin who took up office in Dublin on 5 April 1998. The approval covered the period up to 31 March 1999 and was not renewed. Funding has also been provided by that Department towards the rental costs in respect of UNHCR accommodation at 27 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2, from April 1999 up to 31 December 2001. The annual contributions by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform towards the UNHCR office in Dublin for the three years commencing April 1998 were $110,658 (£75,000), £38,400 and £39,426. A further sum of £31,878 will be paid between April 2001 and 31 December 2001.