Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The ambassadors are very welcome. It was very interesting to hear what they had to say. Some of my questions are common to both. One concerns the political situations in each country, for example, the difficulties surrounding the election in Kenya. I was very struck that in the recent elections in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, EPRDF, won every single seat. While it must be great for a political party to have no opposition it is not a very healthy situation. Both countries are coping with refugees on top of all the other challenges they face. It would be interesting to hear about their work in that area.

No doubt population is a serious issue and the ambassadors mentioned access to reproductive health measures. Are they accepted or is there opposition to them, for example on ethnic or religious grounds?

I know more about Kenya because I know our ambassador, Vinnie O'Neill, and the work he has been doing to build trade. It is opportune that Ireland launched its human rights and business report yesterday. Sometimes when we are pushing trade we do not consider workers' rights, the right to decent work and living standards. It is important that we do not lose sight of that in considering trade.

I have been to Nairobi, and have been around the slum areas, as they are called. The people there told me these are their communities; they are not slums. I have seen the work that goes on there and the resilience of the people. They are sometimes threatened with being cleared to make way for development and they are losing their homes and communities.

Can the Ambassador from Ethiopia talk about his relationship with Somaliland, as opposed to Somalia? I know it has difficulty getting recognition but it is trying to be a democratic country and its elections passed off peacefully.