Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My first question is on the overseas budget on which the President took the opportunity to comment. During his current visit to Africa he made the point about feeding children on 80 cent a day and to be short of 80c is a scandal to humanity. I want to acknowledge what Irish Aid, the NGOs and our missionaries do with the funding that has already been committed to them. We need additional funding for emergencies like the Ebola virus because we cannot divert funding that has already been committed to groups, organisations and issues in the development world. I acknowledge that ODA was not cut in the budget but a rate of 0.37% means we have moved further away from 0.7%. Can we have a commitment that we will not divert money from what has been already committed? How can we increase the rate back up towards 0.7%?

I share the views expressed about TTIP and Colombia but there is a bigger picture about business and human rights. Regarding the Colombian issue, I want to use the words expressed by communities in Colombia. For example, Putumayo has asked us not to ratify the free trade agreement because it will create more violence, displacement and destroy their communities and national environment. For Colombia an FTA only means more hunger, destruction and death. I ask the Minister to examine the matter again and ask the Dáil not to ratify the agreement.

I have two specific questions on Syria. Where does Ireland stand on the issue? Does Ireland view President Assad as the legitimate authority or not?

The Cuban banking issue has been mentioned. It has huge implications because what the banks are doing here is against the EU but the EU has no sanctions against Cuba. There are also implications if we want to address our trade with Iran because it is also on the sanctions list with America. Embassies have been mentioned and I have a question on the embassy in Iran.

The Minister mentioned an issue about Northern Ireland which is welcome. There are persistent issues about prisoners in Northern Ireland that a group of us here have pursued. I refer to the human rights of prisoners in Maghaberry Prison, for example, which very much undermines the peace agreement. We have written to the Minister and hope to have a meeting with him on the matter.

Recently a UN resolution on the establishment of a multilateral legal framework for sovereign debt restructuring processes was approved. I want to know how we are going to implement the resolution and where we are at present.

We have talked about a two-state solution. I was in the West Bank a month ago. Therefore, I know there will not be two states left for Palestinians to be part of a two-state solution because every moment there are Palestinian homes being destroyed due to new settlements. The Foreign Affairs Council has passed all these resolutions but they have been so ineffective. We have seen resolutions for Gaza, the West Bank, settlement goods, Libya and many places but nobody pays any attention to them which is most regrettable.