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

I left for the Oireachtas an hour and a half earlier this morning than normal. I have never seen weather like it. The way from Terenure to town was nearly all flooded by the rainfall. I apologise for being late, as I am normally on time. I congratulate the witnesses on their contributions and will ask a question. Climate change affects Africa severely. What is the up-to-date position of Ethiopia? It was our pride and joy. Visits were made and politicians were impressed by what was developing there. I understand that it has a population of approximately 90 million and a catastrophic crisis is about to begin. Have the witnesses information in this regard?

My pet subject is beginning to evolve in my brain. Do the witnesses address the issue of the contribution that we as human beings make by way of our numbers? A population of 90 million is a lot for such a food insecure area. Should we tackle the issue of family planning or argue that we are having too many children? Should some countries consider their reproduction rates in the family system more carefully?

We do not want to see more starving, pot-bellied children on the African continent. I was informed and reassured at this committee on various occasions that there was an early warning system to ensure there would never be a recurrence of these events. Am I being alarmist or worrying too much about Ethiopia? How much does overpopulation contribute to the degradation of the landmass?