Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste and will add my own few words about Ireland's reputation, which is at an all-time high abroad. We see evidence of this economically, from the visitors to this committee and from our visits abroad. There is no doubt that the Irish Aid programme is one of the best out there. Most of the money we give to our NGOs is well-spent. The Tánaiste is aware that the committee will be visiting Sierra Leone with Irish Aid officials for three or four days next week to see at first hand the funding that is allocated from that programme to Sierra Leone. This is the first time an Oireachtas committee will visit a post-conflict area instead of a programme country.

I am conscious of the Tánaiste's time. I thank him for attending the meeting and engaging so constructively with the committee. I look forward to working with him and the committee on the year's budgetary process. I know the Tánaiste and the committee will play an increasingly relevant role in it. I also acknowledge and welcome his senior officials: David Cooney, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Brendan Rogers, director general of Irish Aid; David Donoghue, assistant secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Barry Robinson, assistant secretary, corporate services division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I thank them for being with us. We tried to run the meeting as efficiently as possible. I know the Tánaiste has a very busy private secretary beckoning him to proceed to his next appointment. We again thank him.