Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
91. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade given that Ireland contributed over €150 million to global humanitarian crises in 2024, including responses in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, and Afghanistan; the way in which it is planned to safeguard and prioritise humanitarian funding in Budget 2026; and the assessment that has been made of the risks to Irish strategic interests should global crises continue to expand. [8701/26]
View answer126. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way Ireland intends to respond to the surge in global humanitarian needs reported in early 2026; whether additional funding will be allocated to priority crises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8621/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 126 together.
The scale of global humanitarian need remains enormous in 2026. The UN’s Global Humanitarian Overview sets out over 230 million people in need, whose basic humanitarian requirements are estimated at $33 billion. The situation is made more challenging by cutbacks in Official Development Assistance by some of the major international donors.
In 2026, the Government will continue to provide very significant levels of predictable funding to address growing humanitarian need. This means providing core, flexible funding that can support both life-saving responses and resilience for the most vulnerable populations. This support helps organisations on the ground to respond to situations as they arise. Ireland’s funding is directed through a range of trusted partners, primarily the UN, the International Red Cross Movements and NGOs. These partners have the experience and capacity to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable and hard to reach populations.
The ODA budget for the Irish Aid programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will increase again in 2026, to €866.4 million, the highest ever level. This will enable us to increase assistance for the crises in Gaza and Sudan but also to maintain humanitarian assistance for protracted crises that receive less international attention,, such as in Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Afghanistan. We will also continue to respond to respond to sudden onset crises or natural disasters, as we did last year, for example with immediate funding of €3 million in funding following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar.
Ireland is also a leading contributor to vital global response funds, notably the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which is the world’s largest humanitarian fund. CERF supports the delivery of timely and effective humanitarian responses by providing immediate support to sudden-onset or protracted humanitarian crises. In 2025, CERF provided $440 million in life-saving assistance in 35 countries through UN agencies on the ground.
The Government remains clear in our commitments to working to reduce humanitarian need, and to reaching the furthest behind first in our humanitarian response.
