Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms McManus; it is good to see her, even on the other side of the room. Life after politics is not entirely outside politics.

It has been recognised that rape is used routinely as a weapon of war, and this makes it essential that women's sexual and reproductive health is prioritised in any emergency or humanitarian response. The indicator for this action is that all relevant organisations, including civil society organisations supported by the Irish State, have guidelines and policies in place on preventing and responding effectively to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and assault and on addressing sexual and reproductive health. To what extent do we know whether these are part of the organisations' policies and strategies? To what extent are they implemented? I am sure I am not the only one who has expressed some reservations about the fact so many NGOs are religious-based organisations and may have problems implementing what are strategies of the State which fund these organisations.