Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. First, I thank the witnesses for their excellent presentation at the all-Ireland dialogue and particularly the document they presented to the committee today. It is a great template for us around the four issues that have been highlighted. It will be useful as information for the committee, and other committees, in how we have to promote what the Children's Rights Alliance is about. I have two specific and very simple questions. Looking at the alliance and the grouping, I counted some 115 organisations. We know that much of their funding streams would have been from the EU, or they would have been partially funded by it. Could the witnesses comment on the impact on these organisations with regard to the stream of social inclusion money? My second query is about other funding streams. I know money is not what it is all about but, at the end of the day, it makes the world go around. The committee has had a presentation from the Special EU Programmes Body, SEUPB. It indicated clearly, and letters I have received from various departments in the UK indicate, that the EU will fund programmes up to 2020. The SEUPB commented here that it was exploring non-EU funding streams to countries outside the EU that were being funded by the EU. Has the Children's Rights Alliance explored any of those options or does it see any merit in looking at what other templates might be available in order to ensure that social inclusion moneys continue for the good work being done by these organisations?