Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman. I am under terrible pressure as I have another meeting at 10.30 a.m. It would be remiss of me not to welcome the ambassador and to thank her for her contribution. For those of us who had travelled to Sierra Leone before the Ebola outbreak, it was clear it was a devastated country, the infrastructure was pathetic, it has emerged from a vicious and terrible war and it was a very difficult posting for any ambassador. I know that Dr. Walsh was not ambassador at that time but we upgraded our representation. The conditions at that time were deplorable. We visited the hospitals and the feeding stations. We would have an understanding of the culture where people are very closely knit, the very close relationship between mothers and babies and where in death it would be very difficult to hold back from expressing one's emotions.

The ambassador has made us as parliamentarians extremely proud. It is proper that she mentioned the brave visit by the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, who went out there in the middle of the Ebola crisis. The ambassador mentioned the Defence Forces, our voluntary agencies and the value of the work of Irish Aid. I want to congratulate the ambassador on her role because of the importance of her presence in Sierra Leone and her dynamism, which we have seen as we have seen her in action. I want her to pass on our best wishes to her staff. I do not know the number of additional staff she now has but at that time this project was run by three women headed by ambassador. For those who have not visited it, it is the most unbelievably difficult posting. I hope her good services, as administered out there, will spread into the psyche of the two adjoining countries, Guinea and Liberia.

In view of the ambassador's praise for all of the agencies involved, it would be remiss of us not to applaud the excellent leadership she has shown on behalf of Ireland. I congratulate and thank her.