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Gnáthamharc

Haiti Earthquake.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 February 2010

Tuesday, 16 February 2010

Ceisteanna (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

89 Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of funding that was allocated to the relief operation in Haiti; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7078/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Martin Ferris

Ceist:

90 Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the ongoing support, both financially and in terms of resources and personnel, he will make available to help rebuild Haiti’s shattered infrastructure and economy after the devastating earthquake. [7242/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

99 Deputy Jim O’Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if additional support will be made available from official aid as opposed to from voluntary subscriptions to the non-governmental organisations to assist in the recovery and reconstruction of Haiti. [7138/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John Deasy

Ceist:

104 Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of relief aid provided to Haiti following the recent earthquake; the nature of the aid provided; the way it was distributed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7174/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

108 Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will be making further humanitarian aid available to Haiti; his plans to ensure future support through Ireland Aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7079/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John O'Mahony

Ceist:

112 Deputy John O’Mahony asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the relief efforts in Haiti; the Irish contribution to that relief effort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7248/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

David Stanton

Ceist:

127 Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has provided personnel to assist with the relief effort in Haiti; the number of such personnel provided and their areas of expertise; the length of time they will be available to continue with the relief effort; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7175/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Deirdre Clune

Ceist:

147 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to provide aid for the long term reconstruction effort in Haiti; the amount and the nature of such aid; the time period covered by such aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7176/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 90, 99, 104, 108, 112, 127 and 147 together.

A major international relief effort is continuing in Haiti following the devastating earthquake of 12 January. The Government of Haiti estimates that well over 200,000 people died in the earthquake. Approximately 1.2 million people are believed to be living in temporary shelter in and around Port au Prince, while a further 480,000 are estimated to have left the city for rural areas.

The challenges to the international relief effort have been formidable. Haiti was already an extremely vulnerable country, and much of its key infrastructure was destroyed in the quake. Initially, the relief effort struggled with the sheer number of people in urgent need of assistance. However, an estimated two million people have now received vital emergency food aid.

At this stage, the priorities for the relief effort include food, provision of post-operative medical care, shelter and sanitation services for the displaced, protection of vulnerable groups, particularly children, and livelihood support, including cash for work. With the imminence of the rainy season, the provision of interim shelter, with adequate water and sanitation facilities, is particularly urgent.

So far, the Government, through Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs, has committed more than €3 million to the relief effort in Haiti. This includes our largest-ever humanitarian airlift, involving the chartering of a Hercules C130 and two DC 10 aircraft to transport more than 130 tonnes of essential humanitarian supplies from Irish Aid stockpiles. Sufficient shelter, water and sanitation equipment has been provided for 12,000 families, for distribution by three of our key NGO partners, Goal, Concern and Trócaire/Caritas.

In addition, an ICT specialist, an electrical engineer and a civil engineer were deployed from Ireland's Rapid Response Corps, to support the World Food Programme operation in Haiti. A fourth has deployed to work as a logistician with Concern. Two further members of the Corps are due to leave for Haiti in the coming days. The Corps consists of a roster of volunteers with highly-specialised skills in areas such as logistics, engineering, water and sanitation, who are available for secondment to the UN and other humanitarian organisations in need of their particular skills. It was established following the 2004 tsunami to enable members of the public with specific skills to make themselves available to assist in a humanitarian crisis.

Our direct bilateral support has been in addition to funding which the Government pre-positioned with the United Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund, which was available to the UN for immediate use in the aftermath of the earthquake. The Fund was established in 2006 to provide a pool of funding from which the UN could draw without delay during humanitarian emergencies. Ireland has provided a total of €73 million to the Fund since 2006, including €20 million in the past year.

I also sent a small technical team to Haiti to undertake an analysis of priority needs and to make recommendations for action by Irish Aid in the medium and longer term. The team has reported back to me and its recommendations are informing our examination of the role Ireland should play in assisting the recovery in Haiti.

A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment is now being carried out in Haiti by the Government of Haiti, the UN, the EU, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. It will be critical in identifying needs for the country's recovery over the medium to longer term, and will provide an important framework for international support.

The findings of the assessment will be considered in preparation for an international conference on the reconstruction of Haiti, which will be held in April. Ireland will make a significant additional multi-annual pledge at the conference, demonstrating our firm commitment to supporting the people of Haiti as they undertake the difficult task of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.

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