I welcome the following: Ms Bríd Kennedy, regional director of Concern worldwide; Mr. Noel Wardick, of the Irish Red Cross; and Mr. Leslie Buckley, Ms Deirdre Grant and Mr. Paddy McGuinness of Haven. Mr. Tom Arnold was to have been with us, but at the last minute he was asked to speak at and participate in the World Economic Forum. It is very good that somebody should do that job.
Situation in Haiti: Discussion.
We need somebody to watch those blackguards.
I did not put it that way.
I did.
Today we all received correspondence from Debt and Development Coalition Ireland. I make a suggestion to those making the presentation. The coalition addressed in detail the issue of the debt repayments Haiti is making particularly to the IMF. In so far as they may refer to the offer of an IMF loan they might address the status of that offer, the failure of the IMF to cancel its debt and the implications of that for the future recovery of Haiti in the medium and long term.
Hear, hear.
Certainly. If I remember rightly, the figure in question is $890 million. I am sure every member of the committee fully supports that proposal. A meeting has been arranged with the Minister for 10 February. We will write a follow-up letter on foot of this meeting.
I do not mean to delay the committee by talking about a separate issue that arose at this week's meeting in Canada. The valuable presentations we receive in the immediate aftermath of humanitarian disasters are always deeply appreciated. However, we have a problem. There is a co-ordinating committee across the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Finance. Canada speaks for Ireland at the IMF board. It is very important for this committee to express a view on the idea that there might be surviving Haitian debt, even after considerable debt cancellation.
I understand. Representatives of both Departments will be in attendance at the meeting that has been scheduled.
I thank the Chairman.
On behalf of the members of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, I express our sincere condolences to the people of Haiti on the devastating loss of more than 150,000 lives in the ruinous earthquake that struck the island 16 days ago. It is estimated in Haiti that the final number of fatalities may be much greater than this. Over 80,000 bodies have already been buried. I also mention and remember the many UN staff who died in the earthquake, including an Irish citizen, Mr. Andrew Grene. The United Nations suffered a particularly severe loss of staff.
Many commentators have pointed out that Haiti was not equipped to deal with this disaster. Many leading aid agencies and governments throughout the world, including the Irish Government, reacted quickly in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. They pledged humanitarian aid and organised for it to be sent to Haiti. It is clear, however, that even the most co-ordinated aid efforts could not compensate for the almost total absence of local infrastructure and governance structures to facilitate the delivery of aid. There are lessons to learn from this. I am keen to hear from those making presentations today about what their organisations have learned from their experiences in Haiti. I assure them that the joint committee will take very seriously what they have to say. As hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti need water, food, shelter and urgent medical attention, emergency relief must remain the priority.
It is clear that the path to recovery in Haiti will be long and difficult. If international assistance is to succeed, it must be properly co-ordinated at intergovernmental level through the United Nations, the European Union and regional players, including the United States. Key aid agencies and non-governmental organisations have a duty to make medium to long-term commitments to the people of Haiti that their work will continue beyond the current emergency relief and into a sustainable development plan.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. As a suitable monument to those who died or were injured in this month's earthquake, we should design and support a massive United Nations-led rebirth and reconstruction programme. I acknowledge the informative briefing material that members of the committee have received from Trócaire, Oxfam, the European Union Institute for Security Studies, Dóchas and Debt and Development Coalition Ireland. We are grateful to these organisations, as we are to those which have sent representatives to this meeting.
Before we commence, I advise that while Members of the Houses enjoy absolute privilege in respect of utterances made in committee, witnesses do not enjoy such privilege. Accordingly, caution should be exercised, particularly with regard to references of a personal nature. I invite Ms Bríd Kennedy, regional director of Concern, to address the committee. She has just returned from Haiti after more than a week there. She will be followed by Mr. Leslie Buckley, chairman and founder of Haven, and Mr. Noel Wardick, head of international development of the Irish Red Cross.
Ms Bríd Kennedy
I have just returned from Haiti. It was one of the most saddening trips on which I had ever been. Haiti is the poorest country in that part of the world. Prior to the earthquake, more than 50% of its population lived on less than $1 a day. They were already on the breadline before this happened. Haiti has been described as a fragile state and the earthquake has made it much more fragile. Concern has been working in Haiti for approximately 18 years. We have responded to several hurricanes during that time. We initially went there in 1994 in the aftermath of Hurricane Gordon. Most recently, four hurricanes in a row devastated the country in 2008. Concern has supported primary schooling in the capital, Port-au-Prince, on the island of Gonâve and in the central plateau.
We have also been engaged in peacebuilding work. One hears a great deal about security these days. Violence has been a part of Haitian society for some time. Two very poor slum areas in Port-au-Prince were particularly volatile after the departure of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004. Concern decided that if it was to address the poverty needs of such areas, it first had to address the conflict and try to build peace. In the past four or five years it has engaged with the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation here in Ireland on successful peacebuilding projects. We have also provided primary health care programmes, aimed particularly at children under the age of five years and pregnant mothers. We have supported livelihood programmes that encourage people in slums and rural areas to develop livelihoods.
As Concern sought to respond to the recent earthquake, it was able to draw on the immediate community, with which it had established long relationships during the years. The earthquake had a severe impact on many of these communities and many of Concern's workers. Some 90% of Concern's staff in Port-au-Prince have lost their homes. People in Haiti who still have homes are living outdoors at night because the earth tremors are continuing. Having felt many tremors when I was there, I understand why people want to live outdoors. It is estimated that there are over 560 tented campsites, all of which are temporary in nature, throughout Port-au-Prince. They have no sanitation and no running water. The oncoming rains will increase the risk of infection and disease outbreak.
In response to the earthquake and based on our community networks, we have been able to distribute water to over 250,000 people. If water is not distributed with purification tablets, it will be dirty and the risk of infection will be high. Concern has also distributed tents and non-food items. We intend to start working with primary schoolchildren in the weeks to come. Over 60% of schools have been destroyed. Many of the children who attended Concern's schools were killed and those who survived are traumatised. There needs to be a link between immediate relief and long-term development. We plan to distribute cash and provide employment, as it is important to stimulate the local economy by getting money back into it. As the capital city of Haiti, Port-au-Prince had a vibrant economy before the earthquake. If we can get the economy back on its feet, people will have money and be able to look after their needs in a better way. Our immediate response will also involve food distribution in co-operation with the World Food Programme.
I would like to comment on some of the co-ordination issues raised in recent days. Concern is attending many co-ordination meetings and taking a lead in many of the 12 cluster groups, particularly in the area of nutrition. Co-ordination is an issue. Given that over 500 non-governmental agencies are working in response to the emergency and there are 86 meetings each day, one can imagine that co-ordination is not an easy task. Concern has not encountered any security problems to date. However, there is always a risk that insecurity can occur. Our approach involves continuing to work with communities over a long period of time. Our distribution is well thought-out and planned with communities. As a consequence, we have not encountered any security issues.
While we heard a great deal about what is happening in Port-au-Prince, a major population movement is taking place to rural areas and the island of Gonâve. Concern also wants to address the needs of the host populations dealing with this movement of people out of Port-au-Prince. We seek to ensure aid is targeted and reaches the most vulnerable. Although everyone in Port-au-Prince is vulnerable at this point, some groups are much more vulnerable than others. We also wish to ensure an appropriate separation of roles between the military and humanitarian actors.
Concern thanks the Government which has allocated €2 million in response to the earthquake appeal. We would like this allocation to be increased in light of the scale of the disaster. We would also like the Government to support the United Nations in the role of co-ordination and leading in the emergency response. As noted, the Government of Haiti is in a fragile state. If the United Nations can be supported in its co-ordination and leadership role, that would be most helpful.
There is significant media coverage of military roles. Concern encourages co-ordination and adherence to humanitarian principles and standards. The military and humanitarian organisations must each have defined roles and these must be respected.
While Haiti is facing major immediate problems, it will also have to deal with problems in the medium to long term. A commitment should be given to addressing not only relief efforts but also medium to long-term issues. As indicated, Concern seeks the cancellation of Haiti's international debt.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
I thank the joint committee for affording me an opportunity to address members on the current appalling situation in Haiti. I propose to describe Haven's involvement in the emergency response and our plans to help rebuild the country. This day last week, I, like Ms Kennedy, was in Port-au-Prince with the Haven emergency response team. At 6 a.m., an aftershock measuring 6.1 in magnitude struck just outside the capital. It was a terrifying experience, similar in effect to standing on a boat when a wave strikes. While the aftershock did not do a great deal of damage, it traumatised the residents of Port-au-Prince who were afraid to re-enter buildings. It was probably a miracle that it did not cause many more injuries. As we all know, however, the damage had already been done at that stage. It is difficult for me to describe the total and utter devastation wrought on Haiti as a result of the earthquake. I cannot begin to imagine the terror endured by the residents of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas on 12 January.
Wearing my hat as vice chairman of Digicel, I am pleased to note that Mr. Denis O'Brien, the chairman of the company, insisted on building a headquarters in Port-au-Prince which was totally resistant to earthquakes. If he had not done so, many hundreds of people who were in the building at the time of the earthquake would have died. Thank God for small mercies.
Haiti is an extremely vulnerable country and the consequences emerging from the earthquake are stark. More than 200,000 people are believed to have died, although the figure may increase to as many as 300,000. Last Tuesday, a mass burial of in excess of 40,000 bodies took place. An estimated 194,000 people were injured and almost 1 million people are estimated to be homeless. These figures are also likely to rise. Approximately 250,000 people have left Port-au-Prince for outlying areas using free transportation provided by the government. Many hundreds have travelled to the north of the country. In addition, approximately 500,000 people are believed to be living in 500 temporary camps which have sprung up all over Port-au-Prince. It is estimated that 2 million people require food and aid.
The functioning of the Government of Haiti has been severely damaged, with almost all government buildings destroyed. Unfortunately, the majority of senior civil servants were killed in the earthquake but there are positive signs that the government is taking the lead in the emergency response. People have lost everything — their loved ones, homes, possessions — children have been left as orphans and families have been separated. There is no doubt Haiti needs help from all of us.
I thought I had seen everything but nothing prepares one for the devastation experienced by Haiti, the loss of so much, the horror of those who survived and the indignity in death of so many who remain buried under the rubble that was once Port-au-Prince. It is truly heartbreaking. Haven, the house and community building non-governmental organisation, which my wife and I founded in late 2008, is already playing its part in the emergency response. I will discuss this response shortly.
Haven is the only Irish NGO with a sole focus in Haiti. We have been working in the country, the poorest in the western world, building houses, implementing community development programmes and creating employment and training opportunities. In our first year of operation we built in excess of 150 new homes, upgraded 300 more homes and provided community development projects for all our beneficiaries. Community participation is central to our approach.
Haven builds houses in two ways. First, we train, upskill and employ Haitian people to do the vast majority of our building. This creates employment and training opportunities in a country where unemployment is rife. Before the earthquake struck, the unemployment rate stood at in excess of 50% and opportunities for people are few. Second, we bring groups of volunteers to Haiti for a "build it" week. The volunteers work and stay in our building projects and are given a chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. We held our first "build it" week last October when we brought 260 people from every county in Ireland to a rural part of north-east Haiti called Ouanaminthe. I am pleased to note the week was a great success and we built 41 new homes, a playground, an extra classroom for a local school and a basketball court. We are planning a second "build it" week at the end of April 2010. I am also pleased to note that all our staff, beneficiaries and houses have emerged unscathed from the earthquake.
Before I outline how Haven is reacting to this terrible natural disaster, it is worth outlining the stark reality of poverty in Haiti before the earthquake struck. Haiti, as Ms Kennedy stated, is the poorest country in the western world and has levels of poverty only comparable to sub-Saharan Africa. More than three quarters of the population of 9 million live below the official poverty line of $2 per day, with half living in abject poverty on less than $1 per day. Haiti is ranked 149th out of 182 countries in the human development index. Ireland is fifth on this universal measurement of development.
Life expectancy in Haiti is 59 years, while the HIV-AIDS rate is 5.6%. Food insecurity is experienced by 40% of households and only 28% of the population have access to basic health care. One child in 12 never reaches its fifth birthday. Unemployment stands at 54% and the literacy rate is practically the same. Before the earthquake, 1 million people were estimated to be in urgent need of decent housing, with a further 1 million people in need of upgraded housing, mainly due to the four hurricanes which struck the country in August and September 2009. Now, with another 900,000 and probably more than 1 million people left homeless as a result of the earthquake, the need for shelter and a proper home is clearer than ever. Haven is ready to play its part in this.
I also wish to tell members about the amazing resilience of the Haitian people in the face of such adversity. Believe it or not, the atmosphere in the country is, on the whole, very positive. People are organising themselves in temporary camps to try to assist with the distribution of aid and to ensure that their voices are heard in any plans that affect them, but they cannot do it on their own. They need our immediate help.
Since the earthquake struck, Haven has been involved with the emergency response on the ground in Port-au-Prince. Because we have been operating in Haiti for the past 12 months, we have an excellent local staff, network of supporters, partners and suppliers and very good relations with government at national and local level. That has allowed us to become operational very quickly and to assist another Irish NGO, GOAL, to become operational in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Our expatriate team of five is operating on the ground with our local staff and co-ordinating our response. Haven is registered with the UN on two of the most important clusters — shelter and water and sanitation or WASH.
Yesterday, we began work building latrines in some of the temporary camps which are now home to Haiti's displaced people. Latest figures suggest that half a million people are living in approximately 500 temporary camps scattered all over Port-au-Prince. Haven is going to build latrine and sanitation facilities for 18,000 of those people in four separate camps. That represents approximately 2% of all those who are now homeless or approximately 4% of those now living in the temporary camps. We will build in excess of 900 latrines, which will prevent the spread of disease, improve health and also bring a little dignity back to those who have already lost so much. This morning we put a proposal to Irish Aid to assist with the funding of those latrines and we hope that it will be accepted.
Looking to the future, Haven as a house and community building NGO, is very well placed to help in the reconstruction of Haiti. When I was in Haiti last week I had a courtesy meeting with the President of Haiti, Rene Preval, and an excellent working meeting with the first lady, Elisabeth Delatour Preval. We also met the Minister for Tourism, appointed by the president with responsibility for damage assessment, budget and reconstruction. We met Mr. Clarmont who was appointed by the president to assist and take specific responsibility for the informal camps, the construction of interim staging camps and planning permanent housing solutions for the whole of Haiti.
We also met the head of Inter-American Development bank, IDB, which will be the lead bank in the reconstruction of Haiti. The Haitian Government is predicting that 200,000 homes will be needed to replace all those that were destroyed. We made a commitment to build up to 10,000 of those in the next two to three years. We want to be at the heart of the shelter strategy for Haiti not just in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake but in the long term. We are in Haiti for the long haul. We were committed to this small country in the Caribbean before the earthquake. This devastating natural disaster means that we are now more determined than ever to help Haiti rebuild itself. I hope we can rely on the support of the committee in this massive undertaking as Haiti desperately needs long-term help from the rest of the world.
Mr. Noel Wardick
On behalf of the Irish Red Cross I thank the Chairman and members of the committee most sincerely for the opportunity to attend the meeting this afternoon to present the response of the Red Cross movement in Haiti and to update the committee on the situation as it currently stands.
We express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the people of Haiti. I echo the Chairman by also expressing our sympathies and condolences to families and friends of the United Nations who suffered the tragic loss of so many lives. In addition, our Haitian Red Cross colleagues have suffered appalling losses in terms of volunteers and family members. Our condolences and sympathies go to our good friends and colleagues in Concern, which lost a staff member and a former staff member in the earthquake. Everyone has been deeply affected by the crisis and we wish to express our condolences in that regard.
The committee is familiar with the Red Cross movement. I am speaking as head of the international department of the Irish Red Cross but also on behalf of the Red Cross movement. Members will be familiar with the fact that the Red Cross is the largest global network of voluntary humanitarian action in the world. It is made up of three components, namely, the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and the 186 national societies such as the Irish Red Cross. All those make up what is known as the Red Cross movement. We work together in collaboration as part of an overall Red Cross response.
I will go through the background briefly as everyone is familiar with it. My colleagues, Ms Bríd Kennedy and Mr. Leslie Buckley, have outlined the severity and horror of the situation that struck Haiti two weeks ago. Different figures may be given by the three of us as no one is sure of the final death toll or the number of homeless people. What we know is that those numbers are astronomical. We are all within the same range. The figures given are estimates and it will be some time before final figures can be determined. As we all know, it is a terrible tragedy. One of the figures that has not been mentioned is that it is estimated that 75% of Port-au-Prince will have to be rebuilt. That is difficult to imagine. The only way I try to do it is to imagine if 75% of Dublin was destroyed in a matter of seconds. How long would it take us to recover and how difficult would that be? That puts things in perspective.
The Red Cross movement has put a three-year plan in place. The emergency response will be followed by recovery and reconstruction. We believe €73 million will be required in the next three years to assist 300,000 people in the recovery process. To date, that appeal is just 50% funded, which is a substantial amount of money, but we still have a long way to go before we will be fully resourced to make a satisfactory contribution to a real recovery. To date, the Irish Red Cross has raised €1.2 million for its Haiti appeal. We extend our deep gratitude to the people for their generosity, which never ceases to amaze us. I am sure all present will agree that is the case, especially given the depths of our own recession and difficulties. People have once again dug deeply into their pockets. I commend donors from the public, the corporate world, and NGO colleagues such as Gorta which does excellent work with which most people are familiar. I acknowledge and thank Gorta for being an important contributor to the Red Cross appeal.
The Red Cross movement honestly and transparently acknowledges the challenges and frustrations facing the operation. However, we emphasise where possible the steps that we are taking to overcome these issues. We are seeing positive results from those who need our help. The Red Cross movement continues to stress the need for co-ordination and co-operation between all those involved and actively engaged in this operation, which is a huge challenge for all of us. One of the biggest lessons we learned from the tsunami response is the imperative for effective co-ordination and collaboration. Everyone is making a huge effort in that regard.
The Red Cross movement reminds the world of the absolute need for a principled approach to relief delivery and the absolute right of beneficiaries to be informed about what is happening and what they should expect. We wish to highlight the massive global mobilisation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel, expertise and resources in Haiti in the past two weeks. This is the biggest deployment of the emergency response units in the 150 year history of the Red Cross movement. That tells us the scale of the disaster and disruption. It is even bigger than our emergency response unit deployment following the tsunami.
We have some key messages for the committee. Some of them perhaps state the obvious but it is important to reiterate them. This is a massive disaster and demands nothing short of a massive international humanitarian response. Anything less will leave Haiti destitute and in poverty for many decades to come.
As is so often the case, local Red Cross volunteers were the first to respond to the crisis, by virtue of the fact that they live, work and have families on the ground. They have saved many lives but they, too, have suffered appalling losses. They are shocked and grieving but their commitment to helping others has not wavered. They are true humanitarian heroes and we are proud of and humbled by their dedication. Many told us they will grieve later, as occurred after the tsunami. When one has lost one's mother, father, husband, wife or children, it takes remarkable courage to grieve later. Quite frankly, I do not know how they do it. We admire them.
Our immediate focus is on addressing the relief needs, including the provision of medical assistance and clean water and the distribution of basic relief items. My colleagues would agree that we must ensure that long-term recovery planning should begin during the relief phase. We cannot wait. Both operations can be carried out side by side. This is critical.
The Red Cross movement, although it engages in a massive international response, works hand in hand and side by side with the national Red Cross society of an affected country. We are working in close collaboration with our colleagues in the Haitian Red Cross. This is extremely important because it has first-hand knowledge. Its members are accepted and respected in their communities. The Haitian Red Cross is the largest indigenous humanitarian organisation in Haiti. There are significant advantages to using its skills, knowledge and experience.
My colleagues have touched on some of the issues of relevance and which were raised in the media over the past two weeks. One is that of security, which has been subject to widespread media coverage. It is of serious concern to us all. The Red Cross movement has supplied highly experienced security delegates. All personnel who arrive in Haiti are briefed on security regulations and must abide by them, including a 6 p.m. curfew.
A key aspect of security management is communicating with beneficiaries, the communities, such that they will understand what we are doing, when we will do it, why aid has not yet arrived and when and where it will arrive. Our doing so reduces tension significantly. Tension, uncertainty, gossip and rumour can create chaos in circumstances that are somewhat volatile.
As with my colleagues in Concern, we have had no security incidents associated with our aid effort. I am pleased about this. We have been amazed and encouraged by the response of Haitian people in such an hour of dire need.
The three pillars of security management are acceptance, protection and deterrence and these operate according to a scale. Acceptance is by far the more preferable way to ensure security. This implies the community in question wants and needs security personnel present. Automatically, one is protected in such circumstances. We are working through the Haitian Red Cross to ensure there is acceptance and understanding of our mandate.
The issue of the military is in the media. The challenge with military involvement in Haiti and other places is to ensure the needs for aid and security are complementary and not in any way contradictory. That is why we are working in collaboration with the military authorities. The priority for everyone is to save lives, which means as much aid as possible must arrive as quickly as possible. We have seen effective military support in response to some of the major recent emergencies, such as those in China and Pakistan, in addition to the Asian tsunami.
We are constantly asked whether we are working with the military. The military, as we all know, is handling logistics at the airport. We are working with it very closely to co-ordinate the arrival, unloading and clearance of Red Cross and Red Crescent relief flights. That partnership is working very well.
We are also asked whether we use armed escorts. The Red Cross does not. Our primary partner is the Haitian Red Cross, the largest humanitarian organisation in Haiti. It is highly respected and regarded. To date, no security issues arose in respect of our aid response effort. This does not mean we are complacent. We continue to monitor the position on security extremely closely.
We all agree the question of logistics remains a serious challenge. It is the heart of the operation. Relief is flowing into Haiti increasingly quickly. Our colleagues in Port-au-Prince inform us the airport is now running at 170% of its usual capacity. That is a credit to those managing the airport.
The Red Cross bolstered its logistics capacity in the Dominican Republic because many of our flights and staff are arriving in Santo Domingo and travelling in overland convoys to Haiti. This is working well.
The Red Cross has a specialist role in the disposal and handling of bodies. This can be gruesome and traumatising given the great number of people killed. There must be a balance struck between burying the dead quickly without proper identification and keeping records and collecting as much information as possible. We do not encourage the former approach as it adds to the trauma of those trying to recover.
The Red Cross, particularly the International Committee of the Red Cross, has great experience in the disposal, handling and identification of dead bodies in crises. It has a number of forensic experts deployed in Haiti who are working hand in hand with the health authorities and those who specialise in the running of morgues, DNA analysis, etc. We are pleased to be able to provide this very important service. Anyone familiar with the Balkans and other such areas will realise the identification of loved ones is very important to recovery.
There has been much media coverage on the question of children, including orphans, and adoption. The Red Cross movement as a whole strongly supports the announcement made on 20 January by the Prime Minister of Haiti with regard to tightening adoption procedures by requiring his own signature of approval on all adoption files. If evacuated, children should be systematically accompanied by a relative and registered. Long-term care arrangements, including adoption, should, therefore, not be made during the emergency phase. It is highly inappropriate to make rash and sudden decisions on such matters.
It is not correct to assume when one finds a child who is alone in the midst of a disaster or emergency that he or she has lost all contact with every member or his or her family. If Ireland had a tragedy such as that in Haiti – God forbid – and my brother and his wife were killed, leaving their children behind, and someone from Haiti with the best of intentions were to rush in and take their children to Haiti, it would be wrong and inappropriate. The same applies in Haiti. Most children have extended families, including aunts and uncles, who are still alive and every effort must be made to ensure the proper reunification of children with their families and extended families. Adoption should be the last resort when all other options have been exhausted. It is very important that this message be heard loud and clear.
I will not elaborate on co-ordination, as mentioned by my colleagues. Suffice it to say it is vital. The Red Cross is involved in the humanitarian cluster system, as are most aid agencies, and this is essential to ensuring coherence.
The Red Cross is mandated under international humanitarian law and the Geneva conventions to restore family links. This is another critical service provided in times of conflict and disaster, during which families become separated. Restoring family links means carrying out a range of activities that aim to prevent separation and disappearance, restore and maintain contact between family members and clarify the fate of persons reported missing. There is extensive expertise within the Red Cross movement to facilitate that service. We can provide more details on any of these issues if the members want them.
With regard to volunteering, the Red Cross movement relies on pre-trained, highly skilled emergency-response specialists with specific Red Cross knowledge to assist in Haiti. Over 500 experienced international Red Cross workers have already been deployed. There is a massive human resource operation to support the relief operations. The Haitian Red Cross has over 2,500 trained volunteers in Port-au-Prince and they are working side by side. The Red Cross movement is presently recruiting for a number of positions and for people with specialist skills and experience. All of these positions are advertised on our various websites.
A key concern is communicating with disaster-affected communities. While this might sound obvious, it does not always happen to the extent we wish. As was highlighted in the 2005 Red Cross report, people need information as much as they need water, food, medicine or shelter. Information saves lives, livelihoods and resources and bestows power. We are working as part of a consortium on communicating with disaster-affected communities and ensuring the people of Haiti are informed and understand what services are available to them. We are also engaging with them so that we know their needs, problems and advice. There is no better knowledgeable person in any given situation than someone who lives in the affected environment. The Red Cross is in the middle of a comprehensive, effective and large-scale response in Haiti.
Some issues of concern are the imminent arrival of the rainy season. We pray and hope that mother nature will be kinder in these coming weeks than it has been in the past two. The traumatising effects of the aftershocks can be underestimated. Planning and preparation need to be put in place for Haitians to be able to deal with another hurricane season, which occurs between August and October. Security and the potential for civil unrest is always a concern.
The Irish Red Cross has two highly trained staff members on the ground. In Haiti we are looking to recruit a gender-based violence specialist who will be involved in the protection of women's rights which are often flagrantly abused in crisis situations.
I thank the committee for allowing me to present to it today.
I thank Mr. Wardick. The briefings submitted have been circulated to members. I must tell Mr. Leslie Buckley that Daniel English, who has a job in press and information for a number of committees including this, was a volunteer on Haven's build-it-week last October.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
Yes, he did a great job.
Indirectly, therefore, we made a contribution to what Mr. Buckley is trying to do. Has Mr. Buckley any estimate for the cost of the 10,000 homes Haven hopes to build? What is the state of the harbour in Port-au-Prince? I note the airport is operating at 170% of its normal capacity which is remarkable. On the point of the €73 million required and that only 50% of it has been secured to date, where will the rest come from? I call on Deputy Deasy, who is also Chairman of Sub-Committee on Overseas Development.
Many committee members are aware of Mr. Buckley's involvement in Haiti, especially through the work of Ms Deirdre Grant in Haven. What caught my eye was that Haven has a proposal for funding from Irish Aid. The organisation is perfectly placed to assist with its experience already in Haiti. What other organisations are building houses in Haiti? Why were latrines and sanitation specifically taken up by Haven? Was this through the UN?
Regarding the details of Haven's proposal, it must be remembered that close to €200 million has been taken out of the aid budget in the past 18 months. How much is Haven seeking in this regard? Will it be looking for it to be taken out of existing aid budget or from an independent Exchequer source? Has Haven made previous applications to Irish Aid? Is it receiving funding from Irish Aid now and, if so, for how much?
The statistic of 75% used by Mr. Wardick puts this into perspective and the tiny percentage Haven is looking to achieve with the resources available to it. How much overall is needed to achieve a reasonable outcome for people this year?
I thank the Deputy. I now call Senator Ivor Callely, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Human Rights.
I thank the groups for their presentations, congratulate them on the good work they have undertaken and wish them continued success.
Is there a united strategic plan being worked to? Is it available for us to see how people are feeding into it for immediate, short-term and long-term objectives?
I understand the immediate need is in the area of care workers, first responders, paramedics, nurses and doctors. There are many paramedics and first responders who would be interested in going to Haiti to assist in this regard. The Red Cross stated that more than 500 highly skilled specialists and experienced international Red Cross workers have already been deployed to Haiti. How does someone with expertise volunteer?
An important question to the many who make contributions to charity is what percentage of every euro put in a collecting bucket will be spent in the area affected. Are there details on this?
I welcome our guests, particularly those who have a direct involvement in Haiti. This is a timely meeting for me and my Seanad colleagues who will be taking part in a Private Members' debate later on the current crisis in Haiti, as it will act as a briefing session.
I am very proud of the work done by Irish people in Haiti, such as Denis O'Brien and Aer Lingus which donated airplanes and fuel services. I am also proud of the response of the Irish people to the immediate situation with their contributions to charities. However, this disaster was waiting to happen. Last weekend I watched a documentary on RTE. It documented the work of a Roman Catholic priest in Boston and more centrally, the work of two remarkable women there, Dr. Louise Ivers and Ms Gena Heraty. I do not know whether they have any religious denomination, and I do not believe it matters, but I was struck by what they said. As far as I am concerned, they epitomise decency, goodness and what I, as a Christian, understand as genuine Christianity. I spoke to Dr. Ivers and she explained that at the moment one of the real problems is infection. There is a real possibility, not just of cholera and other diseases, but also dengue fever which is the most damnably appalling infection. I salute anybody who is able to cope with the situation as regards gangrene in difficult operating circumstances and to have to lop limbs off to the extent that this has happened in this tragic situation.
I was particular taken by what Gena Heraty said to the effect that it was just an accident that this was not us. Any of us could have been born in Haiti, and all of us as human beings are entitled to love, reassurance, to be cradled and to have somebody accompanying us on the journey. A difficult journey it is for the people in the orphanage. I am not sure whether it is the same orphanage that Mr. Buckley has spoken about. It may be a different one where she works. She had the rejects of society to cope with, children who had been abandoned because they were handicapped in some way, what we term "special needs" children. I doubt whether there would be any such delicacy in such a place as Haiti. However, it is wonderful for somebody to have the humanity to wish to assist these people.
There was outrage in those voices and I emphasise this. We are a political rather than an aid giving committee, and our response must be political. I do not see this in just the immediate circumstance. We have to look at the historical background. Many of us do not realise the historical background of Haiti and how responsible the international community is for this situation. I cannot remember, but I believe it is in 189th place on the UN human rights index or something like that, with people living on $1 a day. The figures Mr. Buckley gave us are a reproach to everyone — unemployment at 54%. The history reflects the fact that they threw off the yoke of the people who brought them there as slaves in 1802-04 under the banner of Toussaint L'ouverture. I had no idea they were forced to pay reparations, which continued to France until 1947. That is something of which every European in the EU should be bitterly ashamed, and France stands reproached for this, as well as the United States. The US was very largely responsible for much of the debt, for crucifying that country and was implicated in the regimes of the Duvaliers, Papa Doc and Baby Doc. Haiti is being punished for its past and for staying outside the pressure towards international globalisation and so on, for having its own way of doing things.
That leads me on to the hurricane. The film I saw was made before the hurricane, but they were already vulnerable. Hundreds of thousands were living in poor sub-standard housing. The earthquake need not have had the impact it had, and that is the political kernel as far as I am concerned. It is remarkable that the building that I am sure Mr. Buckley is very familiar with, Denis O'Brien's Digicel building, did not experience structural damage to a marked degree. That is because it was properly built. However, because of their history and the oppression visited on them, the people of Haiti, knowingly, deliberately and consistently up till now were condemned to live in poverty and squalor. In that context, it is obscene for the International Monetary Fund to proffer loans — these people are already sinking under debt — in the middle of a catastrophe. These should be outright grants, not loans. Where are the people of Haiti going to get the money to repay these loans? I simply do not understand it.
What about the United Nation's involvement? I see so many people there and it is a type of beauty contest. No doubt it is being used by various countries to advance their political images. An Italian expert talked about the bella figura, and that is what is happening. This is still being manipulated. There is a report here from a high-brow security group, which points out that this is the most populated island in the Caribbean, next door to Cuba, so it is a good listening point. I am not impugning the work the Americans do, but we need to be very careful. Where is the central control? Rather than a beauty parade, there needs to be a central co-ordinating figure or group. In the city of Port-au-Prince, I understand, different districts are allocated by application in a type of round robin system, to different organisations. What happens to the suburbs, outside? If I was living here and Senator Hannigan was living there and I got aid, being allocated to one of these do-gooders, I do not believe he would be terribly impressed.
What happens to the people who are excluded, and why is this? Why is the relief not general? I really appreciate very much what Mr. Buckley said and I salute him for the work. I say the same for people in the Red Cross, whom I know, Haven, Oxfam, Concern and all the rest. I also thank Mr. Wardick for what he had to say about adoption, because this is terribly important. There is always the danger that people with, perhaps, the best will in the world will opportunistically sail in without recognising the actual human needs of children on the ground and the possibility that they might have families. I have just said that this is a committee that deals with political matters. We have some impact on funding, and certainly as regards the latrines at the most basic level — just as that marvellous priest was doing hundreds of burials every week, from a van, with sometimes up to 50 children in one cardboard coffin. We would support that, but I believe this is a political problem. I do not believe we should let the opportunity go before putting pressure to ensure that the people are not left in that situation again, when the next catastrophe hits.
An earthquake cannot be stopped, but its consequences may be mitigated and there was no attempt by the international community apart from some of these organisations to ameliorate the situation. Perhaps we could talk about whether there is co-ordination, what this country can do to push for it, in the event, and the role of the UN at the moment, and whether it has been subverted by the actions of all the other independent countries.
I commend the agencies before us, particularly those working on the ground in Haiti, especially in recent weeks. No one can tell the story like those who are actually there. While the agencies have given vivid presentations, only experience of what is happening on the ground can give the true picture.
It is important to realise that Haiti has made some progress in recent years. Much of the credit is due to the aid agencies along with the change in the political regime, albeit slow, in recent years. Improvements have been made there. There are issues to be addressed, such as the brain drain. This conjures up a picture of the developed world giving with one hand and taking with the other and is something to be deplored. One of the real strengths of Irish aid, I believe, is that it is untied. I have listened to Deputy Norris and read the presentation from the debt coalition and suggest this committee asks the Government to propose to the IMF that the €800 million debt is cancelled——
I second that.
----and that any reconstruction funding should take the form of grants as opposed to loans. There is no point in tying a country into poverty into the future. I have a couple of questions, some of which have been touched on by previous speakers such as the concept of co-ordination. Mr. Wardick, in his text mentioned media reports on the competition between aid agencies. I cannot visualise how the operation works on the ground, when there are so many groups and agencies. It is important that we are frank here, because I should like to know whether we have learned anything from the response to the tsunami.
I know that Haven was not in existence at the time of the tsunami, but some of the staff may have been operating under another group. Have things improved since the tsunami? Have the international conferences we have had since then given rise to any kind of new structure? It is all about structure. The UN humanitarian co-ordination office is responsible for the co-ordination of the operation locally. How successful is that?
When we are dealing with a poor country in which all the infrastructure and governance collapses, we are not going to replace things overnight. We had our own big freeze in a developed democracy and we came to a standstill for a week. There was no co-ordination even though we had communications. It is important to acknowledge that. How can the co-ordination be improved? I often think that aid agencies might be better off taking a different geographic area rather than having an agency dealing with 50 different groups. I can understand the desire and commitment of agencies to get involved where there is a disaster, as that is their raison d’être, but the groups in situ should be beefed up rather than having additional groups coming in. If these groups spend much energy and time co-ordinating groups that are not familiar with the situation on the ground, then ultimately it will take from the relief getting to people.
Ms Kennedy mentioned that the issue of security was not as serious as it was portrayed. I spoke to a friend of mine in Port-au-Prince yesterday, and he told me how a Brazilian contingent of the UN were riding shotgun with a food delivery. It appears to me that security is not a big issue at the moment. Has it the potential to become an issue? I remember a picture in Kabul of people holding up their hands for bread from someone standing on a pedestal, and I felt the picture was completely staged. I am always very conscious that what I see on television may be very unreflective of the situation on the ground. Can Mr. Buckley and Ms Kennedy outline anything in the media that has been misleading? I do not doubt that things are catastrophic, but the international media can stage pictures and so on. They might be enhancing the role of the Americans or they might not be giving the Americans enough credit for what they are doing.
A mention was made of the rainy season. Is there capacity to house the homeless? Will we be here in two months looking at pictures of people in shanty towns? Can anything be done to address this? I asked the Minister of State with responsibility for overseas aid to examine the possibility of temporarily taking refugees. The response I got from some people in Ireland has bordered on racist. It may not be practical, but is there a possibility that countries can take a certain number of people? I know the authorities in Haiti are looking to move people out to the regions and not to have them congregated in Port-au-Prince. What is in the regions for them?
I would again like to direct a question at Ms Kennedy and Mr. Buckley. If they could change one thing out there, what would it be? What human effort or organisation can change so that we can learn for the future?
It appears that none of the Haven houses was damaged. Is that due to their construction or their location? I commend all the aid agencies involved. I often wonder when there are too many agencies whether it prevents aid being given out in an orderly fashion.
I join others in expressing sympathy to the people of Haiti at this awful loss of life, injury and homelessness. I also join in the commendation of the organisations represented at this meeting and I thank them for their submissions. I also thank the other organisations that are not represented here but that have done excellent work on the ground.
I take it we will pass the resolution calling for the cancellation of the debt. The sad part is that the board meeting of the IMF is taking place today without an assurance that what is an offer is not a conditional loan. We have to return to that as a matter of vigilance when the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs are at this committee together.
This is a foreign affairs committee with a political brief and we must take account of the circumstances in which this happened. It is a fact that there are parts of the planet which are prone to hurricanes. There are also parts that are prone to earthquakes and other natural disasters. However, there are not parts of the planet that are naturally prone to violence. It is something distressing to see how quickly the world has forgotten about what the dictatorship of Papa Doc Duvalier and his son Baby Doc visited on the people of Haiti. We need only look at the international studies done and the amount of money lodged by both dictators outside the country for when they eventually went into exile. They did not exactly live in poverty in Paris, which was very happy to receive them. That had a devastating effect.
One of the first popular post-dictatorship mandates was given to Father Aristide.
He got 70%.
A combination of the military, the elite and support from outside the country led to his exile. These are real facts. The 70% vote about which Senator Norris speaks came from very poor people. The poverty is not natural either. Part of the reason there is such a huge population around Port-au-Prince is because people have gone. Mr. Buckley is right about the number of people living on less than $1 per day, but up to 80% live on less than $2 per day. Part of that reason is because the sole employment opportunities are in Port-au-Prince, so people flock to the capital to provide cheap labour for the only opportunities that exist.
When one is involved in the task of reconstruction, a certain amount of cynicism must be avoided. When Haiti experienced the hurricanes, I remember about €800 million was pledged. It is also my best guess — I do not have my papers in front of me — that less than 15% of that arrived, because it was not delivered. Therefore, there have been broken promises of that degree by the international community in regard to the aid.
I am very interested in the notion of giving leadership. I support those who said that, while it was the case that the United States possessed the capacity to respond quickly, at the same time, there are real difficulties in having a military leadership for the co-ordination of the response. When we have had all the experiences we have now had internationally, it is unfortunate the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, did not have the capacity to put a civilian head in place. The response needed all of the technical assistance that only the United States could provide — we should all be grateful to the US for providing it — but there is also other assistance, such as the inflatable hospitals of Médecins Sans Frontières which were constructed elsewhere previously. It is from the civilian leadership at the United Nations that the co-ordination should have come.
While I will not go into the matter further, I had the experience during the Somalian famine of being covered in dust as different NGOs raced past me in their four-wheel drives to set up a soup kitchen, racing to see who could claim the credit for it because President Robinson was arriving the following day. I will say no more about it but I am very familiar with this. In many cases, the OCHA should have been in a better position in regard to everything we know.
I wish to comment on those people who are nitpicking about different issues. We should be very proud of the Irish people and the generosity of their responses to all of the organisations. I hope no technical discussion will put them off. They need to keep contributing, and I really admire them for that. The other side of it is that they will need to keep contributing after the media have gone because the lesson of Somalia and so many other places is that the cameras will go and the producers from the television programmes will very quickly say they have had enough. We need to retain our interest. We need also to link the immediate humanitarian response with medium and short-term aid. Let us be clear that part of the reason so many of the Government buildings collapsed was due to the corruption in regard to their original construction. It is to Denis O'Brien's credit that his company's building survived, quite apart from his own generous contribution.
The other side of it is that the Italian representative has referred to the "bella figura” and all of that. While that is easy in a way, the sad part of it is that we still do not have a civilian capacity, led by the United Nations, able to move quickly into position. There is not an amorphous body called the United Nations. It has been kept weak by some of the strongest members, which simply will not allow it to develop the capacity needed.
In disasters everywhere, maybe even more important than survival, are attempts by families to trace relatives. The tracing work is incredibly important and if families are to be temporarily removed, it should only be to where they are safe within the control of the Haitian people, rather than anywhere else, so that some caring responsibilities can be crafted in the reconstruction project.
I thank the delegation for attending. It is great to hear their contribution. Many questions were raised in regard to co-ordination, which is key. There are huge challenges and I look forward to hearing the reply. I will push the issues and support the delegation in every way I can in the Seanad debate shortly.
I thank the contributors for their presentations. They were on the ground before the earthquake ever happened and I am sure they will be on the ground long after much of the world has taken its eyes off this situation.
The main question I would like the delegates to consider is as follows. From what I have seen, the US has put massive resources into Haiti, including troops and technical people, ships, including hospital ships, and assistance with logistics, and it has the airport operating at 170% of its normal capacity. However, it does not seem to be great at delivering aid to the people on an individual basis because the pictures on the television are of big guns protecting whatever is being delivered. This is in contrast to what Mr. Wardick said about the Red Cross at this point not requiring military aid.
I think back not to the tsunami but to Rwanda, where the Red Cross was very effective but the United Nations and the US and other big countries just did not do what was necessary. There was no co-ordination. Between the US and the UN in particular, is that necessary co-ordination in place at the highest level so there is no obstacle in the way of the people on the ground doing the maximum and most optimum work possible?
To follow up on a couple of points that have been raised, it is very important that we keep the focus on Haiti, even when the cameras leave. I also agree with the proposal on cancellation of debt and giving grants instead of loans from the IMF in the future. With regard to child care, I understand that, even prior to the earthquake, child protection issues were very sensitive and there were big problems in Haiti. Now there could be even more significant problems. It is important that this item continues to be addressed by the relevant authorities.
It is important that the various delegations present continue to put the focus on Haiti. They are all doing a very good job, together with all of the other Irish bodies. I also congratulate the Irish people for the amount of money that has been raised. Looking at the figures, it seems the individual charities have raised of the order of €10 million. The delegates might have more specific figures, but Concern referred to €5 million, with more to come, and the Red Cross and Trócaire are talking of €1 million or more each. There has been huge generosity of spirit among the Irish people. We are very grateful to them for that.
I thank the representatives of the groups who came in today to share their experiences and knowledge about the situation in Haiti. I commend them for their efforts in the relief effort to date. I will speak in some detail on this subject in the Seanad debate shortly so I will limit my comments here to the issue of debt relief. My understanding in regard to the proposed IMF loan of an additional €100 million is that the IMF has not got a mandate to give a grant. Will the witnesses confirm whether this is correct? If the IMF does not have that mandate, I presume the way around it is for the IMF to grant the loan and carry out a write-off of the loan immediately afterwards.
With regard to the €891 million outstanding loan, I have been told the IMF is wavering in regard to whether to write off that loan. Our interests are represented by the Canadian representatives who also represent many Caribbean countries at the IMF.
A meeting is to be held today, but as it will be on Washington time it has not started yet. Could the Chairman use his office to pass a message in advance of that meeting to the Canadian representative, who represents us, to say this committee has expressed the wish that he push for a loan to be given and for it and existing loans to be written off with immediate effect?
To clarify, at the beginning of this meeting we agreed unanimously to call for the cancellation of Haiti's remaining international debt. The committee will also do everything it can to ensure any disaster relief and reconstruction assistance is provided in the form of grants rather than loans. The committee also commends the Irish people on their overwhelming generosity in contributing to the disaster funds.
I remind the witnesses that everything they have to say is recorded and will be available to committee members afterwards. Perhaps, therefore, the representatives would like to comment on the issues raised.
Ms Bríd Kennedy
I thank the committee members for their comments. One of the first questions asked concerned the harbour. A report I saw yesterday indicated that the harbour was 70% functional and each day progress is made on its repair. We were asked whether we were working to a united, strategic plan. That is in the process of development. We are only two weeks into the relief effort and everybody has been affected by the practical issues arising locally. Even Haiti Government Ministers have had personal issues. Normally, in disaster situations we try to work as closely as possible with government, but we are all probably still working on our own strategies as a consequence of the need for an immediate response. However, we are getting our thoughts together on a strategy for the medium-term recovery. Ultimately, there is scope, through the co-ordination meetings in Haiti and here, for us to collaborate more.
The question was asked whether we had learned anything from the tsunami. One thing Concern has learned is to engage with local communities and not to come in with its banner suggesting it has the solution and do whatever it wants. This is one of the key issues for Concern which has been engaged in Haiti for some time. Although it takes longer to plan and work with communities and to decide on the needs and how and when aid, whether food, water or latrines, will be distributed, this pays off in the end as there is more accountability and ownership. If we rush in with everything, that is likely to lead to problems down the line.
The question was also raised as to what was the greatest shortfall. The greatest shortfall now is the provision of housing for people. We see temporary shelters all over the place and people living in squalor. However, even if we were able to provide housing right now, many Haitians would not use it because the tremors continue. Therefore, in the absence of the ability to provide proper housing, the greatest shortfall must be the lack of proper temporary shelters. We are considering sun and waterproof tents that would provide some dignity to people for six to 12 months. They would have some dignity with such shelter, along with clean water and sanitation. They also need help in getting back to normality. They have been thrown into chaos and need help in getting some structure into their lives. This would help them to cope with their grief. They are scattered in their thoughts and lives and some structure would be helpful.
Tracing is a very sensitive issue and is something about which Concern is very careful. Concern supports carers and malnourished children. We try to ensure children accompanying carers coming to us are children properly in their care. So far we have not found this a major issue in our programme, but we have heard it is a potential problem and the issue has also been hyped in the media. It was a big issue before the earthquake and it is likely to manifest itself again in the coming weeks.
On the question of whether co-ordination between the UN and the US is necessary, there must be co-ordination at the highest level. If co-ordination is not good at the highest level, it will not percolate downwards. Co-ordination at the highest level is crucial.
There is no need for the members of the delegation to respond to every question raised, just the main issues as they see them.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
On the issue of housing, the international development programme expects to spend approximately €1.6 billion on housing alone. It will be necessary to build approximately 200,000 houses. Haven has committed to building 10,000 of those houses.
Is that 200,000 houses altogether?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
Yes. We will build up to 10,000 houses within a two to three-year period, which will require expenditure of approximately €10 million. In Ouanaminthe, where we built houses last year, the cost of each house was €5,000. However, when infrastructure, road access and drainage are included, the cost comes to approximately €8,000. Those houses were decent houses of approximately 40 sq. m. All those houses are still standing. The question was asked whether that was because of the type of house we built. I would like to think it was, but that particular region was not badly hit by the earthquake.
On the question of why we are building latrines, Paddy Maguinness and myself were in Haiti last week. We walked through some of the campsites and saw some without any latrines at all. The major factor in the spread of disease is the provision of latrines.
Did Mr. Buckley and Mr. Maguinness make that decision independently?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
Absolutely.
Was there any co-ordination with regard to that decision?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
No.
Mr. Paddy Maguinness
It was all done through the UN cluster. There is a shelter cluster. Shelter and non-food items were a cluster, but I believe they have now split into two. The decision was made through that and is, in fact, in conjunction with other organisations. One cannot just do the sanitation on its own because there must be co-ordination on the water supply as well and a partner must be found for that.
I would like to comment on the housing. We are all talking doom and gloom and big numbers. This morning I was on to some people in Pakistan, which also suffered following an earthquake, and was informed they have built 418,000 houses there since 2006, 95% of which are compliant to the standards set down by UN habitat. These houses have been built by the people themselves. There are huge lessons to be learned for Haiti from Pakistan. One of the suggestions we would make to Irish Aid is to suggest that it should consider finding some way to help the Haitian Government in its planning so that it takes some of the lessons from Pakistan and applies them. The Haitian Government is being flooded with all sorts of ideas, from people who want to send flat pack houses from Texas to those who want to send igloos from wherever. The Haitian Government needs to understand its capacity. Mr. Buckley and I met the First Lady of Haiti and heard there was much hurt among the Haitian Government, which feels people were criticising it too heavily when it had lost so much and was trying to hold things together. Not a single ministry building is still standing in Port-au-Prince and the majority of the civil service staff there have been killed. Most of them were in meetings in those buildings during the earthquake. Consequently, there is a real need to help the Haitian Government to build its capacity and help it with the benefit of experiences drawn from other places to make the construction of these houses as labour-intensive and as cash-rich for the people of Haiti as possible. These are the measures we are considering and the first stage is to start with the dirty end of the business, that is, sanitation. Let us stop disease from spreading and work our way up the chain.
How much has Haven applied for from Irish Aid?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
We have applied to Irish Aid for €320,000. The question was asked whether we had applied previously; we have not. While it is a small sum, it is very important and I hope the joint committee supports us.
Who else is building houses in Haiti? While Haven is one such organisation, what other existing or original organisations are dedicated to the provision of housing?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
Habitat for Humanity has built some very good houses there. The organisation Food for the Poor also does so. We have a close association with them but are independent.
If, for argument's sake, Haven receives the money and decides to build the infrastructure for 8,000 houses, does the organisation have a budget for the rest? Where else does it get money from?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
No, we must go out and find it.
Haven does not have it at present.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
Not today.
Has Haven applied elsewhere?
Mr. Leslie Buckley
We will be obliged to look elsewhere. We certainly will require aid immediately from Irish Aid and I hope it can help us in meeting the requirement for housing also. However, we will be looking elsewhere.
The joint committee will write to the Minister on foot of what we have heard at this meeting to ask for support for what Haven is doing in this respect.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
I appreciate that.
Incidentally, the delegates might have received the impression earlier that the joint committee had nothing to do with money. I believe a Senator made that point. However, the joint committee has an oversight role in respect of the funds expended and has much to do with it in that sense. Obviously, the Government decides what it will spend and where, but the Minister appears before the joint committee with proposals.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
I wish to make one final comment.
Mr. Buckley should do so and if other matters come to his mind afterwards, he can forward a note to the joint committee.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
As for security, we found the Haitian people to be highly tolerant while we were there. Although most of them had lost loved ones and lacked food and water, they were extremely patient. I believe some of the scenes everyone has witnessed on television reflect unfairly what has been happening in either Port-au-Prince or Haiti in general. The people of Haiti are absolutely fantastic and we did not see any riots. Although we travelled right through Port-au-Prince at night-time and encountered people sleeping alongside dead bodies, there was no rioting.
I note that the representatives of the NGOs made the point that while this did happen in some places, it was on a very minor scale and that they were working with people throughout Haiti without encountering such difficulties.
Mr. Leslie Buckley
Ms Gena Heraty is a fantastic lady from the west who has spent the last 20 years working day and night looking after handicapped children in an orphanage, albeit not the one to which I referred.
Mr. Noel Wardick
I thank members for their comments and feedback. The historical background commented on by Senator Norris and Deputy Higgins is important because it is essential to state the root cause of this disaster is not an earthquake but endemic poverty. If there was no endemic poverty or corruption, there would have been earthquake-proof housing, schools, hospitals and so on. However, because of historical poverty, abuse and so on, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale caused an entire city to collapse. This point must be noted because had this earthquake happened in San Francisco or somewhere similar, I can guarantee members that 75% of San Francisco would not be levelled today, 1 million people would not be displaced and more than 200,000 people would not be dead. It is important to acknowledge this point and not lose sight of the fact that this was not simply an unfortunate earthquake. The problem is much more deeply rooted than this.
Without going into every question, as the Chairman requested, I have one or two points to make. Our feedback regarding the harbour also is that it is gradually coming back to life. Its operational capacity has improved and now stands at 60% to 70%, which is highly encouraging.
The Chairman has specifically asked about the fact that only 50% of the Red Cross's global fund request for €73 million has been funded. While this is a question of looking at the glass as being half full or half empty, getting to 100% certainly is essential if the Red Cross movement globally is to be in a position to do what it wishes in respect of livelihood recovery in the next three years and to target effectively its members. Consequently, we are anxious for this fund request to be successful and to encourage the Government, the public and corporate donors to continue to provide such great support.
Senator Callely asked some important questions on the broader strategic plans for a long-term or medium-term co-ordinated approach. A meeting will be held in Montreal next month, at which the international aid community, including the Red Cross movement, the United Nations and so on, will convene to consider the long-term implications of the earthquake, as well as the long-term recovery plans. We will all be engaged in this process, which is encouraging, and hope it will be productive and useful for the future.
Senator Callely also raised a question we encounter continually on the volunteering aspect. As every organisation handles the issue of volunteering, recruitment and staffing differently, I will speak on behalf of the Red Cross. Our perception is that the key component to being able to respond effectively to emergencies is one's preparedness, not one's reaction. Unless one is prepared in advance, one will have a problem with one's capacity to respond effectively. Consequently, in respect of the aforementioned 500 staff members, the Red Cross responds by virtue of what we call emergency response units. These are specialised units which are skilled in the areas of shelter, health, relief, water, sanitation, camp management and so on. Such individuas form stand-alone units which are trained, prepared and ready to deploy within 72 hours. As a result of this process, while it is not as though we do not need paramedics and skilled personnel, as we do, we already have them in place, even for large-scale emergencies. This is how the Red Cross operates and it is important to note that we are not saying no to well intentioned and highly skilled individuals in Ireland. Many of these emergency response units are staffed by paramedics, engineers and so on but arrangements are already in place to a large degree. It is important to get this message across, as opposed to being perceived as being resistant to such well meaning and well intentioned offers. We would not wish to be perceived to be ignoring such offers.
Deputy Ardagh made some important points on the United Nations, the United States and the military involvement in the delivery of aid. This will be an issue. The Red Cross has set views on the role of the military in such instances and civil-military relations is a major issue and a subject of topical debate within the sector between us and the military. We believe the military has a security role and a law and order mandate, but we argue that the delivery of aid is best left with aid agencies and organisations, as well as the United Nations components. Regardless of such concerns, the most important point is that aid should be delivered in a neutral, impartial and humanitarian manner and based entirely on need. These are the core principles we encourage and on which we insist. Aid should only be delivered based on need, no other criterion. However, we are working well——
Does Mr. Wardick consider that other issues are involved in the delivery of aid?
Mr. Noel Wardick
Not at present. It is just that the Red Cross takes a strong view — this is a general view as each specific incident must be considered — that impartiality in the delivery of aid can be questioned when it is delivered by military forces and that this affects the perception of aid agencies which are trying to deliver aid impartially. This can become confusing and potentially a security issue for aid agencies down the line. Certainly in complex conflict settings, it can become a very serious issue. Most military organisations have CIMIC officers or people specialising in civil-military relations. There is ongoing engagement and consultation in that regard, which is important.
The lesson learned from the tsunami is that one must step up to the plate in terms of co-ordination. Nothing but the best efforts and highest standards can be accepted. The post-tsunami situation was chaotic in many respects and every effort is now being made through the cluster system to ensure co-ordination. In cluster systems, all water and sanitation organisations meet and agree an approach. All shelter organisations meet under the auspices of the UN and agree a co-ordinated approach to areas, etc.
I have heard two phrases to describe the complex and difficult situation in Haiti. First, the past two weeks have been the equivalent of a decapitation. As Mr. Maguinness has mentioned, every Ministry has virtually been destroyed and thousands of civil servants have been killed. There has been an unbelievable removal of the country's ability to respond. Second, it was the perfect storm of everything one does not want to happen simultaneously. It is creating considerable challenges for us.
Security is an important issue. In some ways, the media has correctly reported on security challenges. In other ways, it has sensationalised the issue, as it is prone to doing. Where there is looting, the media goes there to film it, conveying an unfair sense of complete chaos. The Red Cross has experienced no security breaches or riots. We work with the Haitian Red Cross and enter communities after discussing our plans and reasons with them. This is an important point, but it is also important that we not minimise the security issue. UN peacekeepers were in Haiti before the earthquake, so the situation needs to be monitored. That said, for a people who have undergone an unbelievable trauma, the Haitians' dignity is to be applauded.
All of the other issues have been covered, so I thank the committee again.
I have a supplementary question for Mr. Wardick. I thank him and the other delegates for their responses. Mr. Maguinness and Mr. Wardick referred to the loss of important civil servants and state employees. Aside from the paramedics issue on which I touched earlier, I have some contacts with, for example, the Dublin fire brigade, which also comprises paramedics. From these contacts, I understand that a group has indicated a desire to volunteer to go to Haiti. Could a group of ten, 20 or 100 qualified and available people who offer to work in the field be accommodated? As was mentioned in one of the responses, these people could be qualified in other areas, such as engineering. What of people within our State agencies who would like to participate in light of the large void in Haiti? The Irish are a compassionate people in terms of, for example, funds. Are the aid agencies telling people that they only want money, not other supports, or could these volunteers be accommodated?
I welcome the fact that there will soon be a meeting in Montreal. It has been stated that this situation is about the preparation, not the reaction. I am surprised that a co-ordinated strategic response has not been prepared. Maybe Montreal might put the matter on the agenda. Instead of waiting until after a disaster, a strategic response between agencies could be co-ordinated beforehand so as that people would know exactly what to do. I would welcome clarification regarding the personnel issue.
On Senator Callely's point, is there anything else that the Government should be doing at EU or UN level? I am not asking our guests to criticise the Government, but this is an opportunity to speak. I missed Ms Kennedy's remarks. I am less interested in the geopolitical and historical elements than Senator Norris and more interested in the reaction to this disaster.
Mr. Paddy Maguinness
I have one thing to say. There has been more co-ordination in this situation than there was after the tsunami. However, the scale of the response to the latter was billions of euro. In Ireland, the Red Cross alone raised €32 million. I am fearful for the scale of the international response to the Haitian crisis. While the scale of the disaster is, where Haitians are concerned, commensurate with that of the tsunami, the response will not be the same. The EU must revise its thinking on from where it will get money. Will it come up with the money to solve this problem? We can sit here and discuss 10,000 or 200,000 houses, but our discussions are immaterial if finances are not available to give effect to them.
When I look back to 2005 and Gleneagles, I am always cynical. We were going to save Africa and make poverty history. Currently, $20 billion less than the amount pledged at Gleneagles those short few years ago is being given to sub-Saharan Africa per year. Those of us sitting around this table have experience of emergencies. First, there is no money, then it appears as if there is a great deal of money, but then there is no money again. Haven will struggle to find the money to do its work. If Ireland and Europe are to make a concerted effort and step up to the plate, they should not see this as an American emergency, that is, America should look after it because Haiti is in its backyard. There is an onus on Europeans to step up to this emergency and provide finances so as that aid can continue. It is possible. As I stated in connection with Pakistan, people can solve their problems, but there must be financing. This is the major issue for us.
We have yet to have another meeting, so we must conclude. Ms Grant did not have an opportunity to contribute. Is there anything she would like to say in conclusion?
Ms Deirdre Grant
Senator Callely asked about volunteers and the great will to help. As Mr. Wardick stated, we need qualified people if we are to respond to the emergency, but Haven is also a volunteering organisation. We bring groups of volunteers to Haiti to help us with our house building projects. We have a project scheduled for the end of April and any of the people who have been approaching the Senator would be more than welcome to contact our office to sign up. We will have a second trip at the end of October. Those who might not have the exact skills necessary in an emergency but who have the will to help could get involved in this way.
Mr. Noel Wardick
I wish to respond to Senator Callely. I welcome the comments from my colleague. The Red Cross has specific skill sets and we openly advertise. Where there is a specific request from a group like firemen or so on, the Red Cross is unlikely to be able to accommodate it. We have numerous specially trained urban search and rescue, USAR, teams. These were immediately deployed in Haiti. As regards individual jobs as engineers or logisticians, we would welcome such people when and where we advertise the positions. We are always searching. It might be an idea to consider with the Government its rapid response corps of skilled civil servants and public sector workers to increase its surge capacity at a time like this. It has been successful to date.
I thank our guests for attending and the members for their obvious interest. The agencies are doing fantastic work and they receive tremendous support from us. From time to time, we travel on junkets to places like Malawi, Mozambique and so on. We are peppered with needles before we go so we really enjoy the junket. It is for the media that I am saying that. We see how bad things are and the sub-Saharan countries are among the poorest in the world. We have a fair idea of what the witnesses are dealing with. After such a catastrophe the situation is disastrous. The people working there are fantastic. This committee will maintain oversight of the situation and we will not let it go. Gleneagles is a big show and one does not always get what has put down. In Ireland, we get whatever is put down. On the international side, as far as Ireland is concerned these are all grants and there is no such thing as loans. We have been pressing this at all the international meetings we have attended. I thank the witnesses for attending.
The joint committee went into private session at 5.35 p.m and adjourned at 5.55 p.m. until 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 3 February 2010.