Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Very good. The position in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the most extreme examples of such stories. Its colonial history is appalling and it has had a history of corrupt dictator governments. The instability of the Great Lakes region of Africa of which it is a part and competition for control of its rich natural resources have all combined to put it in the last place on the 2011 human development index. That shows how volatile and serious is the situation there. The figures are shocking. Some 5 million people have died as a direct result of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1998. Around 500,000 people continue to die there each year mostly from preventable and curable diseases and 50% of recorded deaths are of children who make up 19% of the population. The incidence of rape, especially of women and girls, is not quantified but is enormous and 1.8 million people are displaced within the country, 655,000 in the past seven months alone. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has one of the most serious humanitarian crises in the world and needs a level of public and political awareness and commitment that has been lacking to date in many institutions. I hope that through today's meeting we can contribute to the awareness of the country which, under the right conditions, could be an enormous powerhouse and a regional and global force for peace and stability.

I am pleased to note the European Union Foreign Affairs committee discussed the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among other things, at its meeting two days ago in Brussels, and has invited the High Representative of the Commission to bring forward proposals for a strategic EU approach to the multifaceted security and development challenges facing the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The committee will have an opportunity at 5 p.m. to discuss the Council's conclusions with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. I am sure the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Gaza are the two main issues to be discussed. I am pleased we have the opportunity to discuss the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the television production because it has focused in on the matter of human rights and people are interested in this type of documentary.

Before I invite Mr. Peadar King to make his presentation I advise that witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of utterances at the committee. However, if witnesses are directed by the committee to cease making remarks on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. Witnesses are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and they are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against a member of either House of the Oireachtas, a person outside the Houses or an official by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

I welcome Mr. Peadar King for a number of reasons. I am parochial in my own way and like myself he is a Clareman and I happen to know his family well. I am sure members will have many interesting questions for him, particularly Senator Norris, who said he happened to be born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has a close association with it.