Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests. The presentation refers to the need for a coherent political solution. From where is that going to come? Up to now, nothing has worked. How safe are GOAL's staff working on the ground? Reference was made to road blocks. What is the experience in the context of NGOs trying to transport food into the country? Have GOAL's staff come across evidence of child soldiers being recruited? It may seem to be a silly question to ask but is it easier to obtain funding for an environmental crisis than for a man-made one? Does part of the difficulty relating to this matter revolve around the fact that people have almost walked away from it? The picture our guests have painted seems to indicate that, rather than improving, the situation appears to be becoming worse. The numbers involved are staggering and the potential for famine to strike is terrifying. In that context, the work GOAL is doing is amazing. Is the conflict taking place in the bush or is it centred around urban areas? Do other African countries have a role to play in terms of putting together a potential political solution or does responsibility in this regard lie with the EU, the US or some other entity?

There was an outbreak of cholera in Juba in May of last year. Has the disease continued to spread? Are there concerns with regard to the spread of other deadly diseases? Mr. Andrews stated that as a result of the conflict, people are not planting crops. I presume it is likely that crops will not be planted again this year.