Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and join colleagues in welcoming the ambassador and I join in the tributes to her and her very small and vibrant team on the ground for the amazing work that they have been doing. It is particularly heartening to hear the ambassador outline how effectively the resources that have been provided by the Government and the people have been used so productively and so effectively. The figures she has quoted for deaths and confirmed cases are alarming but the death of 505 healthcare workers must have had a devastating impact on the efforts to contain the disease. How was that coped with and how were those people replaced? It must have been particularly challenging.

On an optimistic note, the ambassador mentioned the fact that Liberia is almost clear of ebola and that recent figures for Sierra Leone and Guinea were going in the right direction. What confidence does the ambassador have that that is likely to continue or does she feel that real progress is being made in containing the virus?

The ambassador spoke about government challenges and weaknesses that needed to be addressed. What evidence can she see that the government is addressing the issues that it needs to tackle, such as corruption and the infant mortality rate, which is alarming? Has the government prioritised that? Has the government addressed the education deficit that is emerging because young people have not been able to attend school and have missed out significantly on their education?