Haiti

GOAL Boss John O’Shea to Update Foreign Affairs Committee on Latest in Haiti

29 Jan 2010
The most up-to-date scenario on the plight of Haiti and its citizens will be outlined at tomorrow’s (30th) meeting of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee.

Head of GOAL, John O’Shea, will attend the Committee to inform members of how efforts on the ground in Haiti are progressing following the devastating earthquake which struck the island only six months ago, in January.

The meeting will take place at 3pm in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House.

To date, the Irish Government has pledged €13 million for the relief efforts in Haiti, €4.5 million has so far been allocated with €500,000 being assigned to GOAL. GOAL was appointed lead agency in 2 of the 16 sectors by the World Food Programme. So far, it has distributed materials for 2,000 emergency shelters, dispensed food to 500,000 people and has provided employment for the local population in clearing rubble.

Minister for State with Responsibility for Overseas Development, Peter Power TD is scheduled to travel to Haiti next week.

Committee Chairman, Dr Michael Woods TD said;
“GOAL is one of the Irish aid agencies in the vanguard of the humanitarian response in Haiti. Regrettably, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti have fallen off the news agenda of late, so it will be extremely timely to get a comprehensive update of the situation on the ground.

We will also be keen to hear Mr O’Shea’s views on the efficiency of the aid effort in Haiti. In the past, he has been an outspoken critic of how overseas development aid has been managed in different countries, and we will be eager to learn his views regarding Haiti. I welcome the decision of Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power TD, to visit Haiti again to review progress in relation to relief and reconstruction efforts which are receiving funding from the Irish Government's aid programme."