I thank the Deputy for consistently raising this issue in questions and debates and shining a light on what is the greatest humanitarian disaster currently happening on this planet. The conflict in Sudan continues to have a devastating impact on the Sudanese people, particularly women and children. I am particularly alarmed by the Rapid Support Forces' offensive of the city of El Obeid. Following their appalling attacks in El Fasher last year, there is a grave risk of the RSF committing further mass atrocities. The warring parties must adhere to their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. Civilians must be able to leave the city safely and all parties must ensure rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access. On 23 June, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, signed a joint ministerial statement from Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK on the situation in El Obeid. The Ministers stressed that external support continues to sustain the conflict and called on those fuelling the conflict to cease. Those with influence must exercise it now to avoid further bloodshed. Ireland also continues to advocate for the expansion of the UN embargo to the whole country. The critical issue of humanitarian access and the need to remove bureaucratic obstacles to aid are at the heart of Ireland's diplomatic engagement on Sudan. I attended the International Sudan Conference in Berlin on 15 April. The EU and its member states, including Ireland, pledged over €812 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people in Sudan and to respond to the regional refuge crisis. Ireland will significantly increase our humanitarian assistance this year from over €14.3 million provided in 2025 to €21 million this year. Our funding will be channelled through trusted partners to reach the most vulnerable. On 12 June, we launched a call for proposals from Irish agency partners working on the ground in hard-to-reach areas in Sudan. My Government colleagues and I are determined to ensure that this devastating crisis is not sidelined or forgotten. We will continue to ensure a sustained focus on Sudan during our Presidency.
Sentiment score: -0.10
In reference to El-Obeid, on 19 June, Fr. Youhanna Al-Amin, a Roman Catholic priest, was killed in an attack on Holy Cross parish church. On the same date, in another attack on an office and warehouse of a partner organisation of Trócaire in South Kordofan, a guard working for the organisation was killed and a colleague wounded. The warehouse, which contained UNICEF medical and nutrition supplies, was looted. Trócaire is an organisation familiar to all of us. We know that the work of Trócaire takes place on a worldwide basis; it is not just located in Maynooth. The depravity that happened in El Fasher and to which the Deputy referred is unfortunately spreading. We see that in terms of what is happening at El-Obeid. We also see the continuing need for a strong humanitarian response, which Ireland certainly has not been found wanting on, the need to expand the UN embargo, which we have talked about before, and the need to consistently raise this matter with partners. I note the Deputy's reference to the UAE. As he knows, I have raised that matter with the Minister a number of times. I raised it with the Ambassador again just yesterday. I will continue to raise it.
Sentiment score: -0.08
Absolutely. Let us not mince our words. What is occurring in Sudan is the worst humanitarian disaster on the planet. There are acts of pure depravity being perpetrated. Rape is being used as a weapon of war on a scale that has not been seen for a long time. The Irish Government is absolutely committed to continuing to keeping Sudan at the top of the agenda. We have done this consistently at European Council meetings. We have done this through the UN, particularly at the UN General Assembly high-level week. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has included it as an item for the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council meeting. I raised it at the most recent meeting of the development ministers. It will be discussed at the informal meeting of development ministers to be held in Dublin in October. Unfortunately, Sudan is often a forgotten crisis for too many people. We know how what is happening is spreading across to the entire region and of the sheer scale of the numbers of those affected. Hundreds of thousands of people who have died, millions are being displaced and millions are facing hunger. This crisis is simply too grave and too big for Ireland not to use every diplomatic tool at its disposal to continue to highlight what is happening and to continue to exert pressure.
Sentiment score: -0.24
I am very grateful to Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this issue. The Government remains deeply concerned by the security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some progress has been made in the peace process facilitated by the United States, Qatar and the African Union, but the situation remains a matter for very serious concern. We join calls on all parties to respect ceasefire agreements and engage in a process to attain a sustainable peace. All sides must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure unhindered humanitarian access. These are critical factors in enabling an effective response to the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo. In the context of the Ebola outbreak, to date far in 2026, Ireland has provided €3 million for the WHO general programme of work. A sum of €2 million has been approved for the WHO contingency fund for emergencies, which released €3.3 million to support government responses in Democratic Republic of Congo and, crucially, Uganda. Ireland’s NGO partners have also drawn down contingency funding and accessed items from our humanitarian stockpiles. Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the top recipients of Irish humanitarian funding. Between 2020 and 2025, Ireland contributed over €30 million in humanitarian assistance for Democratic Republic of Congo. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, discussed the conflict and the Ebola outbreak with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Democratic Republic of Congo, Ms Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, during her visit to Ireland in May Ireland recognises the importance of the EU’s voice being heard in respect of this grave security and humanitarian situation. We support efforts to agree further EU action to respond to the crisis. EU Humanitarian Commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, visited the region in February for meetings regarding the conflict and in June to discuss the Ebola outbreak. Again, we will closely follow these issues during our Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Sentiment score: 0.28
We can all agree that the history of this part of Africa, from the pillaging days of King Leopold, to the decades after, to the time when Irish peacekeepers lost their lives there and to the days of Zaire and beyond, has been absolutely horrendous and has been marred by conflict, disease and cruelty. To be quite frank, there was cruelty on the part of western partners as well as domestic actors. Unfortunately, this is the latest chapter of a very vicious conflict that is compounding the escalation of an outbreak of a disease that many people cannot fathom the severity of. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control assesses the infection risk for people living in Ireland and elsewhere in the EU to be very low. However, as of 28 June, Democratic Republic of Congo had reported 1,274 confirmed cases, including 360 deaths. In Uganda, 20 confirmed cases have been reported, including deaths. One confirmed case was reported in France on 24 June. This outbreak continues to spread. The deteriorating condition of health systems due to the removal of development assistance is certainly having a serious impact and gives rise very real concern, not just on the part of the Irish Government but also among many of our partners. The CEOs of Oxfam Ireland and Trócaire have written about this very recently.
Sentiment score: -0.24
I am very grateful to the Deputy for referring to the very real Irish connection, not just with Democratic Republic of Congo but also with the wider region, including Uganda and neighbouring countries that are often responsible for many of the impacts of these crises, be they conflicts or humanitarian crises. There are over 2,000 Irish citizens in the broader region. Most of them work in the aid sector. Trócaire has a significant presence there. The CEO of Trócaire was due to travel there until very recently. He was in Rwanda during the Easter period. Oxfam has a very real presence in Democratic Republic of Congo as well. It is one of Ireland's largest humanitarian partners outside of our programme countries. Within Irish Aid, we have a very strong history of working in this region. I referenced the role of Irish peacekeepers - missionaries also played a part - over the period. This is a conflict and a humanitarian disaster that we absolutely will continue to keep to the fore at European level, at bilateral level and, more broadly, through our work with the United Nations.
Sentiment score: 0.11