Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. That point has been made and we will take it on board. If we are agreed on that I will move to Ms Keatinge's proposals that the Government might engage in prior to the budget. I ask for an endorsement of these proposals from committee members. The first is an increase in Ireland's official development aid assistance to ensure we keep pace with global needs now and in the post-Covid environment. Is that agreed? Agreed. The next is that we ensure additional and targeted financing for climate change mitigation and adaptation to support least-developed countries and small island development states. That is along the lines of what Deputy Leddin was saying. Is that agreed? Agreed. Deputy Leddin is Cathaoirleach of the climate change committee in the Houses.

The third proposal is to use Ireland's voice at the UN Security Council and EU levels, as well as in other international fora, to champion human rights defenders on the role being played by civil society. This is a matter we took up with the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and it will certainly form part of further discussions with both the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy. Is that proposal agreed? Agreed.

The fourth proposal is to advocate to ensure that the global community produces enough vaccine doses for everyone everywhere. This is in line with our earlier report, which we forwarded to the Government following our work earlier in the year on COVAX and universal vaccination. It is important that we again urge the Government to show leadership in this sphere. The fifth proposal is to strengthen Ireland's global leadership on zero hunger. This again feeds into our influential role in international bodies and the United Nations in particular. Is there agreement that we will include these proposals in our letter to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, and to be copied to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister of State at that Department, Deputy Brophy? This is the proposed stance of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence prior to the budget. Is that agreed? Agreed. I thank members for that.

I will ask Ms Keatinge for a closing comment, having agreed that we will take this stance. On behalf of committee members, I acknowledge the great work of all the agencies, including non-governmental organisations. There are almost 60 full and associate members of the association of NGOs advancing the cause of what the Irish people support, as Ms de Barra has said. It is important to emphasise, in speaking about budgets and priorities, that 77% of the Irish people are giving the Government a mandate to commit to international development assistance. That is important, in the context of our priorities and going back to what Deputy Stanton quite rightly referred to as the national obsession with pubs and pubs opening. I acknowledge Irish Aid and Mr. Ruairí de Búrca's team of field officers and officials, which works closely with Dóchas for and on behalf of the Irish people and its Government. As Ms de Barra has said, the NGO community is working in the most challenging parts of the world in very difficult circumstances for its members, as well as for the people they serve. I acknowledge the importance of this meeting and we will proceed to the next steps.