Aid to Iraq: The Government has pledged to contribute up to €3 million for humanitarian and recovery assistance in Iraq.
The focus of the Irish aid will be on meeting the basic needs of the most vulnerable Iraqis, especially women and children, according to a Government statement.
The pledge is in addition to the €5 million made available to non-governmental organisations, international humanitarian organisations and UN agencies to meet the most pressing needs of Iraq's poor, says the Government.
The €3 million will be disbursed over the next 18 months through UN Trust Fund mechanisms and partners organisations such as UN agencies, the Red Cross and NGOs.
The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Tom Kitt, said: "While my principal concern remains assisting the poorest of the poor, especially in Africa, I believe it is incumbent on us to continue to respond to the most pressing needs of the most vulnerable in Iraq . . . Our focus in Iraq will continue to be those sections of society, especially women and children, who have suffered most over the last two decades and during the recent conflict."