The Government has announced it will contribute €250,000 to evacuate civilians fleeing the conflict in Libya.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore announced the funding for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in a Dáil debate on Libya on 24 March.
The funds will be used by the IOM to repatriate foreign nationals crossing into Egypt and Tunisia. It follows an international appeal by the United Nations last week.
“There are literally hundreds of thousands of foreign workers in Libya who have found themselves caught up in the conflict and are attempting to return home,” the Tánaiste said, noting that nearly 10,000 people are in transit camps on Libya’s borders.
He added that Irish Aid provided thousands of blankets to the UN recently as part of the Government’s response to the crisis.
Minister of State for Trade and Development Jan O’Sullivan said 60,000 people had already received assistance from the IOM and the UN High Commission for Refugees after fleeing the conflict.
“The UN estimates that there were nearly two million foreign workers in Libya when the conflict began,” she said. “Nearly 350,000 people have left to date and there is a clear risk that this could escalate in the coming days or weeks.”
She added: “Ireland’s support for the IOM will help them to develop contingency plans as the conflict continues.”
The €250,000 brings total Irish support for the IOM operation on Libya’s border to €500,000.
In addition, Irish Aid provided 18,500 blankets and 100 tents from its stockpile at the UN humanitarian base in Brindisi, Italy.
