Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. de Búrca for his presentation. I remind members that the meeting is totally focused on the work of Irish Aid and that no other matters relevant to the Department are to be raised.

With regard to Mr. de Búrca's comments on the work of Teagasc and the knowledge transfer, have efforts been made to engage many of the major Irish agrifood companies that today, thankfully, are international corporations? That part of the economy has been internationalised in a major way. If we could get some of these major international companies which have been remarkably successful and which were indigenous Irish companies involved, with Teagasc, in knowledge transfer of using sustainable methods of food production, it could be extremely beneficial. It would involve the use of a very slight amount of their budgets.

Regarding migration, we have had numerous groups appear before the committee who are working in the most difficult of areas. I refer to NGOs, in particular, which are trying to help people who have been displaced. The figure of 65 million people who are displaced throughout the world is shocking. Is any of Irish Aid's work aimed at addressing the root causes of the problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa?

A number of the us met Mr. Jamie Drummond from the organisation ONE. He spoke about the potential for transformation in the areas of the digital economy and date and said his organisation would strongly argue that there was the potential to transfer assistance and support using financial services and the digital economy. Perhaps that is one area that might be explored. That work is in its early days, but is it an issue that is being considered by Irish Aid?