I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 59 together.
In 2003, the Government has provided €5 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to alleviate suffering in Iraq. The key focus of this support has been on basic health services, water and sanitation, food assistance and help for internally displaced persons. Ireland's funding has been delivered via the Red Cross family, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, Concern, GOAL, Trócaire and the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
Emergency and recovery assistance is delivered through a number of funding channels in order to provide maximum flexibility of response. The emergency and recovery budgets for 2003 stand at €23 million and €12 million respectively. In addition, emergency funding is provided as necessary from other budget lines such as the programme countries.
While the 2003 outturns will not be available until early 2004, it is anticipated that funding to Iraq during 2003 will amount to less than 14% of funds delivered for emergency and postemergency recovery operations.
At the recent Madrid Donors Conference on Reconstruction in Iraq, Ireland pledged up to €3 million for humanitarian and recovery needs in Iraq over the next 18 months. This assistance will be provided through valued partners such as UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs. Discussions will take place over the coming months with these partner organisations, to examine sectors and priorities on a needs basis.
More than €28 million has been approved to date in 2003 for emergency and post-emergency recovery programmes in other countries worldwide, the details of which are contained in a table below.