Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
234. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to clarify how Irish aid to Palestine is being distributed; how funding and resources have been allocated; how the Government is ensuring that these funds are used to the benefit civilians in Gaza; and the organisations that are in receipt of this funding, in tabular form. [4457/26]
View answerThrough the international development programme, Irish Aid, the Government has provided €102 million in humanitarian and development assistance for the people of Palestine since January 2023, including €36 million in 2026. Last week, I announced an additional commitment of €42 million in assistance for 2026. Our funding is channelled through UN and other multilateral agencies, the Palestinian Authority and humanitarian and human rights NGOs.
Ireland’s UN and NGO humanitarian partners in Gaza have established targeting, management and reporting practices for aid distribution. These are agreed with UN Member States, including Ireland. Our major partners in Gaza, including UNRWA and the UN Organisation for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UN OCHA) target and distribute aid in coordination. That coordination is standardised under international Humanitarian Principles, with the objective of directing humanitarian assistance to those in greatest need as efficiently and transparently as possible. Reporting through the Humanitarian Cluster system provides regular updates on the numbers of people benefiting in each sector, in Gaza and in the West Bank.
We aim to ensure that Ireland's funding is allocated on a needs basis. We focus on maintaining health and education services, and humanitarian logistics through UNRWA, and supporting sector needs through specific agencies and organisations, as well as supporting effective coordination through UN OCHA.
Our partner organisations have internal oversight mechanisms to ensure accountability and to minimise the risk of diversion in each stage of aid delivery. Typical mechanisms include vetting of staff, sub-partners, and suppliers; supply chain tracking involving inspections and scanning at border crossings and logistics facilities; and monitoring at points of distribution, service delivery and end use.
Our mission in Ramallah participates actively in humanitarian coordination for Gaza and the West Bank. The mission also engages on Ireland’s support to the Palestinian Authority's Education Ministry, and works through pooled, and EU funding mechanisms, subject to reporting and audit. These measures collectively provide assurance on the effective application of Ireland’s assistance.
The Government's funding to Palestine over the past three years was allocated as follows:
|
Partners |
2023 €000s |
2024 €000s |
2025 €000s |
|
UNRWA |
18,000 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
|
UN OCHA |
4,945 |
1,075 |
3,141 |
|
ICRC - IFRC |
2,000 |
|
|
|
Food and Agricultural Organisation - DAFM (Emergency Support Gaza) |
|
1,000 |
|
|
UNICEF |
|
|
2,000 |
|
World Food Programme |
2,600 |
|
3,000 |
|
World Health Organisation |
1,000 |
|
1,000 |
|
Norwegian Refugee Council (West Bank Protection Consortium) |
400 |
400 |
400 |
|
COMET-ME |
100 |
100 |
250 |
|
Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation |
|
120 |
|
|
Palestinian Authority Services |
3,060 |
3,360 |
3,380 |
|
Humanitarian responders |
19 |
204 |
205 |
|
Peace and Human Rights Organisations |
1,367 |
1,856 |
1,668 |
|
Development Partners and support |
1,377 |
1,436 |
161 |
|
Scholarships |
927 |
1,017 |
946 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total in support of the people of Palestine |
35,795 |
30,568 |
36,151 |
|
|
|
|
|
