Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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(Minister of State Ms. Jan O'Sullivan, T.D.) The devastating earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 was the greatest disaster to hit the country in more than 200 years, killing more than 230,000 people and destroying swathes of the capital, Port au Prince. Among the survivors, more than 1.5 million people were made homeless and forced to take refuge in makeshift camps.

Almost two years on, while the international relief effort has made good progress, the humanitarian situation across the country remains fragile, with the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by the 2010 quake leaving a lasting legacy of displacement and destruction. While the number continues to decrease, approximately 550,000 people remain displaced in the country and large quantities of rubble remain. The quantity of rubble caused by the earthquake was estimated at more than 20 times that left behind following the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001, which itself took more than 18 months to remove.

Against this backdrop, Ireland pledged funding of €13 million for Haiti for the period 2010-2012 at a donor conference in New York in March 2010. By the end of this year, €11.5 million of this will have been disbursed and it is intended that the entire pledge will be met by early 2012.

In allocating financial support for Haiti, Ireland has prioritised the needs of the most vulnerable populations, including women and children as well as the basic humanitarian needs of the population more generally. This follows the recommendations of an assessment mission which visited the country following the earthquake, which advocated an Irish focus on protection, as well as clean water and sanitation, early recovery and shelter. Support has been provided to UNICEF, Concern, Goal, Plan, World Vision and Haven for the provision of clean water, shelter and sanitation to the affected population. Funding of €1 million has also been provided to the Haiti Reconstruction Trust Fund for projects managed by the World Bank in line with priorities agreed with the Haitian authorities.

In addition to financial support, Irish Aid has carried out 18 deployments from its Rapid Response Corps to Haiti following the quake and these experts have been able to assist UN and other agencies to work in areas such as logistics, engineering and water and sanitation.

Looking ahead, it is vital that the international effort, led by the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission, steps up its efforts to ensure adequate progress in recovery and reconstruction while simultaneously addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of the population, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, children and people with disabilities. Ireland will continue to play its part in encouraging and assisting in this recovery.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Presidential and parliamentary elections were held on 28 November in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The results of the presidential election are expected to be announced on 6 December, and the parliamentary results on 13 January 2012. Ireland is following the ongoing electoral process closely with our European Union partners and through the United Nations presence in the DRC. The European Union has deployed an election observation mission, consisting of 147 observers spread throughout the country. Six Irish observers are participating in the mission. In a preliminary statement issued on 1 December the European Union election observation mission noted that the election had experienced many difficulties due to poor infrastructure and a very tight schedule. In addition a number of concerns were raised on the conduct of the elections by the Commission Électorale Nationale Indépendante. A number of fatalities associated with the election have also been reported. The European Union election observation mission will announce formal conclusions on the election on the completion of the electoral process. This report will be made public and will be provided to the appropriate authorities in the DRC.

The United Nations has sought to enhance stability in the DRC through the work of MONUSCO, formerly MONUC, the UN's largest peacekeeping mission. MONUSCO's current strength is just under 20,000 troops, military observers and police, along with over 3,500 international and local civilian staff and approximately 600 UN volunteers. Over 50 countries, including Ireland, contribute military personnel to the mission. MONUSCO is a Chapter VII mission under the UN Charter, which means it is authorised to use all necessary means to carry out its protection mandate, including the effective protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence, as well as the protection of United Nations personnel, facilities, installations and equipment. On 28 June, the mandate of the mission was extended until 30 June 2012. MONUSCO is providing logistical support for the electoral process.

Since 2010, Ireland has disbursed more than €13 million in response to the needs of the population in the DRC. To date in 2011, Ireland has allocated a total of over €5 million in emergency funding to the DRC via the UN administered pooled fund and through our NGO partners. Of this €1.5 million has been allocated to NGO partners. With our partners in the EU and the wider international community, Ireland will continue to work to bring an end to the conflicts which persist in the DRC, to address immediate humanitarian needs, and to help develop the capacity of the Congolese state to govern and protect its people.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the allocation of the Department's scarce human and financial resources to priority areas is kept under constant review. As I outlined in my reply of 29 November, the Conflict Resolution Unit (CRU) within my Department is engaged in a wide range of activities designed to ensure that the lessons of Ireland's unique experience of conflict can be shared internationally. The Unit's experience will be of particular importance in the context of Ireland's upcoming Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The cooperation between the CRU and officials engaged in preparations for the Chairmanship, under a shared director, is an example of my Department assigning resources to key priority areas, in a manner that ensures maximum effectiveness and takes full advantage of synergies between complementary work areas.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Government is closely monitoring the transition period in Egypt, and welcomes the well-organized and peaceful first phase of the parliamentary elections in Egypt on 28 November as well as the significant voter turnout which demonstrates the engagement of the Egyptian people in the political transition. Together with our EU partners, Ireland will continue to emphasise the need for the electoral process to continue in a transparent manner and in compliance with international standards. I again call upon the Egyptian interim government to allow international election monitors at future elections as Egypt continues its transition towards democracy. I also note the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces' (SCAF) recent announcement that Presidential elections would be held before the end of June 2012. The EU Foreign Affairs Council discussed the situation in Egypt on 1 December. Ministers agreed Conclusions on Egypt, which I fully support, which welcomed the first phase of the parliamentary elections and expressed deep concern about the violence and unrest that took place prior to the first round of elections. The Council deplored the loss of life and high number of injured in recent clashes, and condemned the excessive and unacceptable violence committed by the security forces against the demonstrators. The Council urged restraint on all sides and calls for an independent investigation bringing those responsible for violence to justice. The Council also urged the authorities to uphold the rule of law and respect for human rights. I would again urge the SCAF to end the thirty year long State of Emergency, as a demonstration of its commitment to facilitating real change and reform in Egypt. The next six months or so will be a crucial time for Egypt in its democratic transition and it is vital that the interim ruling military council ensure that there is no repeat of this violent repression of protests.

The SCAF has the responsibility of protecting the democratic rights of the population and must ensure that power — including oversight of the military — is fully transferred as soon as possible to a representative, inclusive civilian government, that has all the necessary authority to lead Egypt through its transition process. The lack of clarity about, and length of, the transition has adversely affected the economic situation in Egypt, which makes it even more urgent to have representative authorities able to engage in the necessary social and economic reforms and to make effective use of available international assistance.

Ireland and the EU will continue to stand by Egypt and its people in their quest for freedom and a democratic transition based on the goals of deep and sustainable democracy and inclusive economic development.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland fully supports the sanctions, including an asset freeze and an embargo on investments, imposed by the Arab League on Syria on 27 November. The purpose of these measures, and other international political and diplomatic actions against Syria, is to increase the pressure on President Assad and his supporters so that they immediately end the violence against the Syrian people, begin inclusive dialogue, and start a process of transition. The Government, together with its EU partners, welcomes the leadership which has been shown by the Arab League in tackling the crisis caused by the Syrian regime's lethal repression against its own citizens. Ireland and other EU member states were amongst the co-sponsors of a resolution on the human rights situation in Syria adopted by the UN Human Rights Council's Special Session on Syria on 2 December. The resolution commends and supports the efforts and measures by the Arab League and calls upon the Syrian authorities to implement the Arab League's Plan of Action — which President Assad agreed to — in its entirety without further delay. The resolution also urges Syria to sign a draft Protocol on the Arab League's proposed observer mission to Syria.

The Arab League sanctions are a clear sign that international political and diplomatic pressure is intensifying against Syria. Turkey also announced sanctions against Syria on 30 November and the EU Foreign Affairs Council agreed on 1 December additional measures related to the energy, financial, banking and trade sectors, as well as the listing of additional individuals and entities involved in the violence or supporting the regime. This comes on top of extensive existing EU measures, including a ban on oil imports from Syria. At UN level, the UN General Assembly's Third Committee adopted a resolution on human rights in Syria on 22 November while the independent International Commission of Inquiry mandated by the HRC last August issued a report on 28 November, in which it stated its grave concern that Syria's security forces have committed "crimes against humanity" in their continuing crackdown on anti-government protesters. It is hoped that the UN Security Council will also step up to its responsibilities and soon agree a robust resolution on Syria.

Ireland, the EU and international partners such as the Arab League, the US and Turkey are determined to maintain strong and united political pressure on the Syrian regime until it ends the violent repression against its own people and begins a process of transition.