Mr. Sharan Kelly:

On behalf of the 60 plus NGOs in the Dóchas network, I extend our thanks to the Chairman and members of the joint committee for giving us the opportunity to meet them. I know that it has been a very busy period and that the committee has had a full agenda today. Therefore, we thank it for fitting us in.

Members are aware that 2015 will be European Year for Development. Given the committee's role in European Union affairs, we would like to explore some of the opportunities that will arise. Since the early 1980s, the European Union has been designating thematic European years to highlight specific issues of relevance. This designation is very important for us in that the Union is taking external action in looking at the European Year for Development initiative.

The year 2015 is important in terms of the future of humanity. During it there will be two United Nations summit meetings which will effectively define the parameters for international policy making. In September the United Nations will agree new goals in the sustainable development framework in looking at tackling poverty, inequality and environmental destruction. We look to the European Union affairs committee to consider how it would like to be involved in this process in terms of scrutinising policy and ensuring it is proofed and how Ireland will respond in that context.

In December the climate change summit to be held in Paris will set new climate action targets. Again, we would like to bring this to the committee's notice and ask for its input in terms of how it can be involved in that context.

All people in Ireland should be aware of the importance of these decision-making processes. More public debate is needed on Ireland's role in building and implementing a new global consensus on how we can ensure justice, equality and prosperity for all, without destroying the planet's resources and excluding anybody from the benefits of global trade and co-operation. The European Year for Development initiative in 2015 will present an opportunity to celebrate the many ways in which people in Ireland are already working towards a better and more sustainable future in the world.

Ireland has a rich and diverse civil society and every day hundreds of thousands of people donate, volunteer, advocate and campaign for a better world. We believe 2015 is the year in which to celebrate the power of ordinary people to make a real difference and be more involved. It will not be a European year of conferences; rather, it will be a year of citizen action to have a better world. We have some very exciting events planned, an outline of which was provided for the secretariat before the meeting. On 22 January the President will launch an event on our behalf as part as his ethics initiative. I take the opportunity to invite the Chairman and members to come and support the event. It will be a year in which to honour and encourage people to continue to stand up for what is right and a year of active citizenship as it relates to global issues. We will be connecting what is happening in Ireland with what is happening across the world. We are here to explore these options with members. My colleague, Ms Towey, will outline in greater detail what they might look like.

We very much welcome the members of the committee in being involved and engaged in this activity next year and I hope they will take up the opportunity. In particular, we would like the committee to be involved in scrutinising policy as it relates to a different era ahead us in terms of the new sustainable development framework and in terms of the impact of what we do here, as well as of what is happening across the globe.

I again thank the Chairman and members for inviting us to appear before them.