Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome Ms Wahlström to the House. I was fascinated by her presentation and was struck, in particular, by the point she made that disasters are not just happening in poor countries but are also very much a feature in wealthier countries too. In that context, she made reference to the US, New Zealand and Japan. How does that change the nature of Ms Wahlström's role and of UN intervention? Are wealthier countries less likely to seek assistance from the UN? In particular, in countries within the European Union, for example, does the EU take over the role of the UN? How does the UN engage with the EU in the context of a disaster within the EU itself? Ms Wahlström spoke about a parliamentary advisory group but is there a formal liaison between the EU and the UN in the context of disasters in EU countries?