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IRELAND IS TO give Somalia €3 million in live-saving assistance as the conflict-torn and hunger-afflicted country faces another humanitarian crisis.
The funding, which will provide food, shelter and other vital assistance, was announced by the Tánaiste during a visit to the capital Mogadishu today.
Eamon Gilmore’s trip coincides with the one-year anniversary of the official declaration of famine by the United Nations.
“Somalia is one of the poorest and most insecure environments in the world,” the Labour party leader said today. “Our ongoing assistance is saving lives every day.”
He added that the monetary help will be used by the UN and non-government organisations to scale up their operations so they can reach more Somalis whose lives are in danger as a result of war and starvation.
“While progress has been made over the past year since famine was declared the gains are now at grave risk of being reversed by yet another poor rainy season and a late harvest,” continued Gilmore. “Those who will be hardest hit over the coming months are the 1.4 million Somalies who have been displaced by drought and conflict.
They are now balancing on a knife-edge , dependent on a good harvest to keep food prices low and to remain alive.
Over the past five years, Irish Aid has provided €30 million in emergency and long-term development funding to aid agencies operating in Somalia.
Gilmore is the first Irish Minister to travel to Somalia in more than twenty years but he recalled what was described as the “historic visit” of President Mary Robinson in 1992. “Sadly, decades of conflict and famine mean that millions of Somalis continue to face untold hardship, hunger and suffering with many relying on international assistance just to stay alive.”
During his time, he visited feeding centres at camps for displaced citizens and a primary school which was rebuilt with Irish Aid support after it was destroyed during the civil war.
Ireland intends to play a leading role in raising global humanitarian issues during the EU Presidency next year.
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wheres the money coming from? as a country we dont just have 3 million sitting doing nothing that we can give away
With all the billions bring thrown around in this country I think in the larger scheme of thing a measly three million to the poor souls in Somalia is the least we can do, when you see their problems our financial worries pale into insignificance! Have a feckin heart
What would you rather do with it Sinead, Pour it into the hole that is our public service? Maybe hire a couple more government Aids?
Providing its goin to the right people they could do more with that 3 million than we will with the 100 billion we’re firing down the swanny!!!
When there was a famine in Ireland the population declined. Why is it increasing here? While it may be harsh, I think many people need to die in Somalia before it can sort itself out.
Providing them with the basics for survival is only prolonging their miserable lives and facilitating more procreation.
@Lauren
Charles Trevelyan would be proud!
Are you sure the population of Somalia is increasing? If so, by how much did it increase in the past ten years?
In Ireland we take pity on those with negative equity. While being in negative equity might not be nice, at least you have a beautiful modern home, central heating, adequate food & water, broadband, a TV, education for the kids, etc.
The recipients of this €3m would probably be happy to change places with Ireland’s “poor” instead.
I doubt the population is increasing that much to be fair. And having people die to solve an issue is never goin to be a solution, Although not having people Born might well help them alot. You see on the telly the people in the refugee camps stuggling to feed their 6/10 children, it has to cross your mind if they had half that amount maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult to support them …
I thought Sinéad’s comment was bad but then I read Lauren’s. Do a bit of research into the IMF’s role in Somalia before you decide on its fate. Somalia, during the 80′s was a country that always was able to feed its people despite suffering from recurring droughts.
If Irish politicians had any courage they’d hand over all monies the Troika, IMF, add any other financial terrorists ad lib here would have us pay to failed banks and bondholders to Somalia.
Ye really need to take your heads out of the magazines/newspapers you read and educate yourself in world politics. Wear some nice perfume. It stinks like hell!
The lotto jackpot next week is more. Yes Ireland is broke, I am ‘broke’ too, I couldn’t go out last night because of it but I bet if someone shakes a bucket at me today I will still find a euro for it.
@Réada
Oh Christ! Right on cue, it’s the ‘we should look after our own’ brigade. As thick as they are heartless.
The same people have probably never said a word about the ~€65 billion our governments have handed over to banksters, but relative pocket change given to famine victims really grinds their gears.
@Laurennhttp://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html
@Lauren. The population of Somalia is circa 10-11 million. It’s over 7.5 times the size of Ireland. 8 million people live in London. You should really educate yourself before making comments about letting people die off.
Lauren, you are a cold heartless person!
Laurence Mc Carthy…
My thoughts exactly but I would have worded it differently.
The bottom line is however undisputedly what you say.
Throwing money at starving nations is not a solution.
They merely survive another year and then it’s back to square one.
Consider the millions that band aid raised for Ethiopia in the mid 80′s.
Only a short time later their hunger situation was worsened.
You would think our own history of famine would make people more sympathetic towards our fellow human beings, but some rather shocking and callous disregard for human life showed in some of these comments. Thankfully extreme Darwinian views like Lauren’s are in the minority, but no less disgusting.
wow Lauren ..If there is an award for heartless comment of the week you have it won.
Try imagine if you were in their situation..
emmigration lauren. many irish people had this option the somalians do not.
I’m actually amused at some of the responses to my comment. Naieve do-gooders who think this 3 million is really going to make a difference to theae people. I can bet the same naieve people wouldn’t be giving up their time and money to help theae people out.
Of course I would not like to be in their position and should I ever be unlucky enough to be like these people then I would certainly chose death over a few bags of rice and a pat on the back from some do gooder.
Also for the people suggesting that I should educate myself, I happen to have two degrees, a masters and I am currently working on a doctorate. I have also travelled extensively and have first hand experience of the day to day lives of people similar to these mentioned here. My conclusuion is not derived simply from tabloid newspapers and magazines.
i have no problem with giving to charity once we can afford it, but we cant, I dont think that we should give money to a poor country whilst their are still so many Irish people homeless and many more struggling to feed themselves/keep a roof over their heads. I’m educated and dont base my opinions solely on what I read, I have a mind of my own to form an opinion and this is mine, say what you like but I stick by what I’ve said.
Lauren, if you were starving to death, I’m sure that you would turn down a bowl of rice.. because you know that by by sacrificing your life and decreasing the population you would be helping to solve the problem, I know you would because I can tell what a thoughtful and charitable person you really are. Really??? have you ever been hungry sweetheat? Just because you are educated doesn’t mean you are intelligent.
& Sinead, seeing as you started this thread, and being so quick to be the first of the oh so many begrudging look after our own first type, you don’t seem to realize that there is a foreign aid budget calculated into Irelands budget every year. So yes, we do have the money and it isn’t just sitting there doing nothing. It is being used to help people less fortunate then ourselves, even less fortunate then the most unfortunate people living in this country.
3 million quid is chump change when it comes to the national budget and I can assure you that giving it away will have no effect on the quality of life here.
@lauren, are you a real person?!? How can you place such little value on human life? By your reckoning, we should let the sick and starving die so that there will be less hungry mouths to feed?
Somalia is a failed state, it’s the most vulnerable that are suffering the most and they are suffering on a scale we’ve never been exposed to in Ireland and all you can say is let them die so the problem can sort itself out?
That’s an immature and defeatist attitude to have and I actually hope it was some sort of troll comment.
Lauren I hope that your comments are not sincere. The suggestion that you get educated referred the education about the issues involved not an invitation to rattle off your academic record. It is sad that your solution to famine is to let a more Sudanese die. I assume you don’t have any qualifications in problem solving. you say if you were in their position you would rather an early death – and you know this how? clearly their lives are less precious than your own. you should be ashamed, not amused
Ireland needs to look after its own. It’s terrible what’s happening in Somalia but Ireland are not exactly flush with cash!!
What do you heal first? A scraped knee or a broken leg?
Actually Irish Aid’s budget is pretty meagre by international standards, although the amount raised in individual donations is substantial here. Irish people are generous – people like Ken, Tom, and Lauren are outliers.
The idea that our aid budget – or indeed our social welfare provisions – are ‘generous’, as we so often hear, is a myth.
I’m entitled to my opinion as much as you. Fact is Ireland is in the shit and families in Ireland could use the aid. Ah sure it’s great being known as generous then have nothing for our own!!
When was the last time a person died of starvation in Ireland? Poverty in Ireland means not being able to afford Sky. poverty in Somalia means not being able to eat for days and dying as a result.
Bit of perspective, hun.
Do you know how much we’ve poured into the banks to date? Even roughly? If so, do you get as annoyed about this? If you don’t you may wish to think about why that is…
I’m not even slightly annoyed!! The country did it to themselves. But wouldn’t it be better to keep the money in Ireland??
How is that nice warm house of yours Ken, and the internet service, running water, packaged food etc. We will never be poor enough to justify and end to overseas aid.
Tell ya what, continue sending money to foreign countries. Btw I worked extremely hard for what I have but I had to leave ireland to do it.
You don’t pay tax here – you don’t get a say in how that tax is spent.
Simples.
Ken Corcoran, your bitching about Ireland but yet you upped and left,
I lost my job in Ireland but you know what, I got another one and so did my wife so unlike you as the two of us pay tax we get to say how that tax is spent.
In this case we have it easy in comparison to actual poverty, we in Ireland don’t know what actual poverty is anymore and haven’t for some time so its only bloody right we help others who are in a far far worse situation.
I didn’t lose my job, I decided to move. And petr as much you know, I still do pay taxes in Ireland. So im quiet entitled to my opinion on this matter
That goes to you too Barry.
There are people in Ireland who would rather see their fellow country men on the street rather then help them, the penny for the ‘black babies’ is used to ease their consciences.
So Ken, what are you doing to help Irish families then? Since they are so much more important to you.
its shocking what’s going on in other countrys, but the sad fact is there’s plenty kids and parents going to sleep to night with no food in there bellys no esb or heating also. look after our own i say, an hopefully in future we can look after others.
yeah sound so charities like barnardos and the samaritians can go f**k themselves along with soup kitchens and charities here trying to prevent families going cold during the winter cos the government are so in the pockets or energy companies they allow bord gais and the likes to hike prices, but suddenly in abid to look so good in front of our world neighbors we pull 3 million outta thin air along with 60 million per year to give to someone else, and yet were a country thats told every time theres a new tax or the troika come to town spouting vile crap to turn the public on each other over welfare cost and frontline public sector pay its a joke. Ya know what take the 3million make yerselves and the do-gooder brigades feel better, but when families in ireland really do hit the sh*t down the road i hope those who think this is justify remember there comments cos it will come back to haunt ye!
Not out of thin air, it’s in the budget. Didn’t you notice?
€3m is better spent on foreign aid than on all the unnecessary crap they tend to waste it on here… where do i start, e-voting machines, the millenium spire, ipads for all TD’s/senators etc.
At least the €3m might save a life/two in Africa
*it
It is sad about Somalia. But giving all this aid to mist countries in Africa is nuts. For every dollar some of these countries receive in aid it is estimated 10 dollars leave and are stuffed in offshore bank accounts. It is a complete waste of time unless corruption in some of these countries is tackled. This should be the first priority of any government before it gives aid. Stamp out the corruption.
Quite agree George, the governments of African countries are quite happy for their people to starve while they buy top of the range weapons to fight one another. The West facilitate dependency of these countries by only letting shops stock Western goods instead of trying to encourage local goods in shops. Corruption needs to be sorted out we can’t keep on giving this situation has been going on for nearly 30 years and still nothing has changed. Questions need to be asked why?
I think this is a good thing, as somebody once said, if your neighbours house is on fire you don’t quarrel over the price of the hose. The government should look at it’s foreign aid budget though, how about we give away a percentage of any surplus the country has at the end of the year.
i think we should have a decision on where our money is spent . personally i feel we should cut our donations outside of ireland by 75% charity begins at home , we cant afford to fund our own country. we are the only EU country not to have reduced our overseas donations its time to look after our own first.
Actually the aid budget was cut by €195 million in the two budgets in 2009.
2010/11 ? Ireland first sooner we realise that the better.
Petr knows it all. sitting by google are we??
@Alan
It was cut by €25 million in 2010 and €35 million in 2011.
@Ken
I surely don’t know it all, but if I see information presented that I suspect to be untrue I will – time permitting – look it up and if the person was indeed incorrect (or lying) I’ll post the correct info.
You can just as easily look for this information yourself ken. Being able to look for accurate information on the internet doesn’t make you a know it all.
hhhmmmmmmmm….
HEISENBERG
Borrowed money given by Irish Govt Pirates to Somali Pirates.
Our Govt showing their true colours one more…!!!
we have been giving to charity for as long as i can recall all through my childhood .okay its so sad to see this still happing in this day and age i feel sorry for there children. we all know they don’t see a washer of any money.so were is it all going. out of every euro we give to the charity they will only see five cent. and i think the morning after pill would help them aswell.
Their hardship really puts our hardships in perspective .
Send them a few million contraceptives.
Yes, because when a person is starving nothing fills a belly like some safe sex.
@lauren. All that education and you’ve still not learned how to be a human being. 3m euro won’t solve their problems but at lease it might alleviate some of their suffering.
They need provisions and (maybe) education on family planning, you don’t cure a headache by cutting off the head.
HI
i PREFER TO HELP THE NEEDY WITH 3M THAN
GIVE IT TO THE HOOKS IN LEN HSE ,EU OR
THE BANKS.
METTA
bottom line is very simple. The govt is putting there hand in our pockets to give to another country without the courtesy of asking if we mind.
i dont object to charity but only on my terms will i donate. i pay tax to fund my country not someone elses.
and they do such a good job at handling your tax anyway…
Give them nothing, charity should begin at home, that’s what’s wrong with the Irish government trying to appear as saints to the world.
Baa
Yes Ireland likes to be the mother Theresa of the world was in Cork last year all the collection boxes rattled in my face made me sick.Africa has got to stand on it’s own 2 feet they are milking it.Why not all the rich Africans around the world especially in The USA help their fellow country men all we see is Europeans helping.I find Somalians arrogant and aggressive in my experience so maybe they should channel their energy in a more positive way by getting of their lazy arses and helping.
i wonder do the people advocating the laissez faire attitude to starving people actually know what it is to be happy and to have hope for a better life.. with that sort of attitude no wonder so many people died in Ireland during our famine. Anybody who suggests that starving people be let starve has a serious void/unhappiness in their life.
charity begins at home.. we have billions of a deficit in our health service yet we can give this much away??
i am in arrears with bank getting crap letters from them, no money for food, so its spuds and soup if your hungry in our house, meat would be a luxury and fresh veg, we do go out to my family to eat dinner once or twice a week, so we do get some nourishment, we do not have central heating, its coal to heat my home and yes we are cold during winter but stay in living room, but to give millions to others and we need it here, its sad really, i know i will get out of this hole when i get a job, but its a sad gloomy hole at the moment, there are worse off than myself with no family to bum a dinner from, i get my new cloths from 2nd hand shops for me and kids, and they dont complain, we know there are people suffering in other countries, but dont give away what we are paying dearly for, i know i will loose my house in next year or so, as really cant continue borrowing, even sold my jewellery, and still struggle on and on, think they need to help at home before they give away what could get some of us out of debt and hunger and cold,
At least you can afford to use the internet!
brilliant gearoid :D
I don’t understand this at all. Why do people look at things in such divisive ways?
Many have pointed out that Ireland is suffering – denying dying people a relatively small amount is not really the solution to this.
There are other solutions to dealing with the issues of those in poverty traps here in Ireland and still helping those who need it more than most of the contributors here (who are not at all representative of those people who are truly desperate in Ireland)
Get some tax out of the high earners, help those who genuinely NEED it in Ireland and the rest as they say are 1st world problems.
How much money did we give in aid to these countries. people are starving and dying of aids. Until we see changes we should stop sending money over.
how much more clear can i be .
Did i get a choice on how much of our taxes would be given away ? NO.
petr cop on to yourself if you want to be the net geldolf fine but not with my taxes. Fund ireland first
did you get a choice on how much of your tax money was/is used to fund td expense accounts for places they don’t stay in, mobile phone bills, the new ipads they’re giving themselves?!
The overseas aid budget is less than half of one percent of GNP, therefore I think you’ll agree we actually are funding Ireland first!
As per wiki :
Somalia has a population of around 10 million inhabitants;[2] the total population according to the 1975 census was 3.3 million
Hence a massive population increase in the past 30 yrs
Also-
The country’s population is expanding at a growth rate of 2.809% per annum and a birth rate of 43.33 births/1,000 people.
We should send that three billion to Somalia, and maybe we could also stop cutting money to CE schemes, which are the only thing preventing Dublin’s inner city communities from turning into slums governed by drug gangs.
I’m all for overseas aid, but the media in this country seem to turn an eye to the poverty and deprivation on their own doorstep.
turn a blind eye
Coming from a Fianna Fáiler that is extremely rich.
What’s this, you’re saying that we’re pro-poverty? A bit strange given how much we increased social welfare payments by during the Celtic tiger. Of course we have to hang our heads in shame for the amount of egregious errors we made in managing the overall economy, but suggesting that we’re pro-poverty or pro-deprivation is ridiculous and absurd.
Incidentally, the very parties that lambasted us for cutting funding o CE schemes when in government are about to do the same thing now…
CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.Ireland is supposed to be broke.Supposed not to have any money for paying decent wages to workers.So how can Ireland afford to give millions to another country?For the sake of an IMAGE?????Let richer EEC countries help the poor.
why give money when the country doesn’t have money !!!!!!!!!!!!
BAAAAAAA
Do us a favour Happy and stay out there.Show the somalis how to do it the labour way.
Lauren perhaps you need to be visited by 3 ghosts …“I wish to be left alone,” said Scrooge. “Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don’t make merry myself at Christmas and I can’t afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there.”
“Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.”
“If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus.
$3 billion that the Irish government claims not to have will be going to the Somalian warlords and pirates…Why do you think the UN pulled all aid and help out of there?
Typo there…meant 3 million euros!
have your say