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

It was interesting to listen to what Mr. Drummond was saying. We know ourselves the effect Irish Aid has because we have seen the evidence at first hand on visits the committee has made to some of our partner countries in Africa. A recent visit was to Malawi and northern Mozambique. Aid is getting results and part of that is because our aid has been and continues to be untied. As Mr. Drummond says, it is focused on the poorest and on poverty reduction. We are seeing another agenda outside Ireland which is placing untied aid under threat. Aid is being used on in-country refugee situations, which badly need funding, and also on security. As such, there is a real danger the aid can be diverted in some countries. It will still go under the term "aid" but it will not be used in the way it has traditionally been used. We have to be very aware of that. Mr. Drummond mentioned USAID and there are still questions over UK aid and where it will go after Brexit. It may go to other areas such as former colonies rather than to the places it has been going.

Population control is crucial, including access to reproductive health measures for women. I know it is very difficult in some communities in some countries but it is one thing we do not talk about enough. I know it is competing with climate change and all the other issues, but it is also vital. I was delighted to hear what Mr. Drummond said about education because my disappointment with the millennium development goals was that while we successfully got more children into school, there was a question about what they were getting into. It was not quality education. Teacher training is vital there. They might not have the infrastructure, but if they have the quality teacher training, it could be excellent.

Does Mr. Drummond agree that there is sometimes a need for an independent review of aid, not just Ireland's but that of other countries too? Aid must also be about building resilience. People must get to the point where they move away from aid when the aid they have received has helped them to be resilient and independent. We planned a meeting - which we postponed - on how we would spend the 0.7% if we got to that level and on what would be the priorities.