David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for making time to be here today and for the work they and their teams are doing across the world. It strikes me that, as we sit here today, our country is convulsed with a debate as to whether we should allow indoor dining and whether people should be allowed go into restaurants for slap-up feeds. Now we hear about what is happening in other parts of the world. The dichotomy between the First World and the Third World is enormous. We hear about famine, war and conflict and, on top of all of that, climate change. Climate change has almost taken a back seat as a result of Covid but we know that it is causing real hunger and devastation in many parts of the world. It is not getting any better. It is getting worse.

I understand the fundraising efforts of the different organisations in Ireland have been impacted by Covid and by the restrictions on fundraising. How has that impacted on the organisations? The need to bring what is happening across the world to the attention of Government, the Oireachtas, the people and the media was mentioned earlier. It has been said more than once, especially with regard to Covid, that we should be in this together. All those in underdeveloped countries should get the vaccine. We need to roll out that vaccine because, if we do not, there is a risk that more and more variants will emerge and that these could eventually travel here and impact on us. We are linked in that way.

Having listened to the debate this morning, I detect a sense of hopelessness and devastation about the suffering going on across the world but I also detect a sense of hope that it can be better. I certainly agree with the Chairman that we need to encourage Government to maintain funding, or to increase it if possible, and to use our position on the Security Council and in Europe to encourage other countries to do the same. That is very important. I know the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and his team would agree with us in that regard. We really need to write to Government and the Ministers and to do what we can to encourage our own Government and other governments to step up to the mark. A small intervention can make a massive difference in some of these countries.

We have heard the reports from the organisations. The Chairman and I worked on the refugee crisis during the term of the last Dáil when we were in the Department of Justice and Equality. We met many people who had been through hell on earth. We tried to have the greatest impact we could on what was going on and to help people and bring them here. Unfortunately, we met resistance from some quarters in that regard. There is a need for an education programme here in Ireland to help people to see what is going on in different parts of the world. Our media have a very significant role to play in that because it is not reported enough. What is happening in other parts of the world does, and will, have an impact on us here. I again call on our media to highlight what is going on and to inform and educate people in Ireland so that they will again step up to the mark. I understand there is approximately €15 billion saved up in Ireland because people could not spend money. That is a huge amount. If a small proportion of this could be made available to the organisations that are here today, it would make a massive impact.

In all of my contribution I believe I only asked one question, which related to the impact Covid has had on the fundraising efforts of the organisations before us today.