±¬ÁÏÍø

16/2/15

Minister Flanagan announces funding of €4.7 million for the Palestinian people

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, TD, today announced funding of €4.7 million to ±¬ÁÏÍø agencies as part of Ireland’s programme of assistance to the Palestinian people.

The funding will go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (±¬ÁÏÍøRWA) and the ±¬ÁÏÍø’s Emergency Response Fund.

The funding will help ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA provide vital support and assistance to some five million registered Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including schools, health care, social services, infrastructure and camp improvement, microfinance and emergency response.

During the conflict in Gaza last summer, ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA opened its schools to provide shelter to hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the fighting and its provision of food aid was the lifeline for thousands of refugee families. Some of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA’s schools are still being used as temporary accommodation for over 10,000 displaced people who have no homes to return to.

Speaking in Gaza this morning during a week-long visit to the Middle East, Minister Flanagan said:

“I have seen for myself today the appalling effects of last year’s conflict in Gaza. The sheer scale of the destruction and the devastating humanitarian impact on a largely refugee population is truly shocking.

“As a steadfast supporter of the Palestinian people, Ireland has been generous in its response to the Gaza crisis.

“I am pleased to announce today that Ireland is providing a further €500,000 for ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA’s response in Gaza.”

Minister Flanagan highlighted the longstanding cooperation between Ireland and ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA saying:

“Ireland will continue to support ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA as it provides a range of social services including health and education services, to some 5 million Palestine refugees.

“The funding today brings our total support to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA to over €48 million since 2005.

“This underlines Ireland’s commitment to meeting the needs of the most vulnerable Palestinian people. The long term prosperity and wellbeing of the Palestinian people will, however, depend on successful political negotiations. Ireland will continue to actively support the search for a lasting and peaceful political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Minister Flanagan also paid tribute to the staff of ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA:

“I pay particular tribute to ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA and its dedicated staff who worked tirelessly during the conflict to provide assistance to the population of Gaza under very difficult and extreme circumstances.

“I convey my sympathies to the families and colleagues of the ±¬ÁÏÍøRWA staff who lost their lives during the conflict last year.”

ENDS
Press Office
16 February 2015