23 MFómh 2014, 14:39
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade meets tomorrow with GOAL and Médecins Sans Frontières to consider the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa.
23 September 2014
Representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Health will also attend the meeting.
The current outbreak of Ebola in a number of West African countries has been the deadliest to date, with almost 3,000 people dying from the virus in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria in recent months.
Chairman of the Committee Pat Breen says: “Tomorrow’s meeting is a timely opportunity for our Committee to assess the severe impact of the Ebola virus in West Africa with representatives from Goal and Médecins Sans Frontières. It also affords members the chance to hear for themselves the actions being taken by our own statutory bodies particularly in view of the fact that it follows yesterday’s announcement by Government that €600,000 has been allocated to West Africa to tackle the spread of Ebola. Committee Members will be keen to explore the courageous work being done by both NGOs in the affected region, and look forward to assessing what further actions are required - both on the ground and at international level - to tackle and eradicate this devastating virus.”
The meeting commences tomorrow Wednesday 24 September at 2:30 pm. It will be broadcast on the new dedicated Oireachtas TV Channel on UPC 207 and Sky 574. It also can be viewed online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Deputies:
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Gerald Nash, Labour
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators:
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil