Ms Sharan Kelly:

I will comment on a number of matters, including what Deputy Durkan has just highlighted. Something we would very much welcome is for the European affairs committee to look to us in terms of how we can assist in this process. That is a good question for us to go back with in terms of the meaning of sustainable development, for us to feed into that process and have a conversation. We would welcome an opportunity to do that with the Chairman and a number of members next year. Another request we would have is if the committee would like to be part of our calendar of events. We ask them to consider what that would look like for them.

To add to what Ms Towey said in terms of our role in co-facilitating, the members probably heard about the report last week from the OECD Development Assistance Committee, DAC, peer review and how Ireland has made a huge impact on development. That is something of which we are proud. As an Irish person I have a strong affinity with our heritage, and that whole engagement at grassroots level is something that Dóchas pursues across all our membership. Ordinary people in Ireland having a say about their lives and the lives of people in the global south is a big priority for Dóchas and is one of the strategic directions in which we are going. I add that to the comments from my colleagues.