Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 September 2025
383. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on medical evacuations to Ireland, of children who are paediatric patients from Gaza to which Government approval was secured in September 2024; and when the agreed intake of 30-children will be complete. [49570/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that Ireland continues a strong tradition of providing humanitarian assistance including through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Irish Aid humanitarian and development assistance programme, and the HSE Global Health Programme.
In September 2024, a Government decision was made that Ireland would evacuate up to 30 paediatric patients from Gaza (under 17 years of age) and their carers out of Egypt, in response to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) request to activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) to assist in addressing the Gaza healthcare needs through medical evacuation.
On 15 July 2025, the Government amended the scope of the Gaza Medevac Initiative to allow for family members of paediatric patients that are parents, minor siblings or adult dependent siblings of the patient, on grant of visas, permission to enter the State. This decision not only applies to future medical evacuation operations but also to the families already here under the Medevac Initiative who have qualifying family members still in Gaza.
To date, 12 paediatric patients, their carers and a further 21 family members have been medically evacuated out of Egypt to Ireland in two medevac operations in December 2024 and May 2025. My Department remains committed to facilitating the medical evacuation of 18 further child patients and their accompanying carers and family members.
My Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Department of Justice Home Affairs and Migration, Irish Red Cross, the HSE, CHI and international organisations are working closely towards medical evacuation out of Egypt and out of Gaza via Jordan. This is subject to all permissions and logistics being put in place. It should be noted that medevac operations from Gaza are highly complex and many determining factors are subject to challenging and shifting external circumstances.
