Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2017
182. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the distribution of financial aid to Myanmar; the organisations that are in receipt of aid; and the amounts received for the past three years. [40194/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland began funding a focussed programme of development assistance in Myanmar in 2013 with the objective of meeting the needs of some of the poorest and marginalised communities and to help underpin peace, prosperity and the political transition to full democracy. Through the programme, Ireland is working with key civil society and other trusted partners to deliver practical support for food and nutrition security, meeting immediate humanitarian needs, supporting the development of the humanitarian demining sector and building capacity for responsible business. Funding to our partners totalled almost €1.5m between 2014 and 2016 or approximately €500,000 per year:
Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT): €750,000
Mine Action Group (MAG): €240,000
Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business: €150,000
Plan International: €234,500
METTA: €100,000
In addition to monies provided under the bilateral aid programme, a number of civil society organisations working in Myanmar received funding of €4.15m for humanitarian assistance and longer-term development programmes between 2014 and 2016 as follows:
Trócaire: € 3,665,751
Misean Cara: € 346,000
International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH): € 64,000
Irish Congress of Trade Unions: € 25,000
Plan International: € 50,000
Separately, Ireland provides core funding to both the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (over €11million provided in 2017). Core funding enables rapid scale-up in response to escalating humanitarian crises. These organisations are now scaling up operations in Myanmar and Bangladesh, including in border areas, to support those affected by the crisis.
Additionally, Ireland is a strong supporter of the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which, on 7 September, announced an allocation of US$7 million to urgently help tens of thousands of people fleeing violence in Myanmar and seeking refuge in Bangladesh. These funds will allow humanitarian partners to scale up urgent aid by providing additional shelter, food and critical health care to those affected by the conflict, especially women and girls. This allocation is in addition to US$6.5 million which was provided by CERF for emergency relief to Myanmar earlier in 2017.
