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

I have been looking through MSF's website. As some colleagues have stated, we are all a bit in awe of what the organisation does.

Certainly, the world is in a very precarious place. MSF works in many countries across the globe, including Bangladesh, with the Rohingya, the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Niger and so on. The organisation also works in some countries that have taken in an awful lot of asylum seekers and refugees and it looks after those people. MSF volunteers work in some of the most dangerous places in the world and put themselves at serious risk. I ask that the witnesses comment on that risk. Have any MSF volunteers been injured, assaulted, unlawfully detained and so forth? Obviously, because they are working in parts of the word where disease is rampant, they are also at possible risk from illness and disease themselves. In addition, it strikes me that if somebody goes to work in some of these situations that are very difficult - and extraordinarily so, to the extent that I am lost for words - the actual stress, strain, pressure and psychological impact on MSF volunteers must be enormous given what they are dealing with every day. There is perhaps the feeling of helplessness that some of us might feel as well when we hear what the witnesses say. What can we do?

MSF does not take any funds from the European Union. It did in the past but no longer does since the EU's agreement with Turkey. The witnesses might comment on that matter as well.

It strikes me that democracy is in retreat globally. There are an awful lot of regimes across the world. I am aware MSF goes into all situations completely neutral and looks after all sides in a conflict provided that they leave their weapons at the door, which is good. It cannot be easy, however. When one looks at all the countries in the world where there is conflict and literally hell on earth, one can see that we are totally cocooned in this country. Our problems are first-world problems compared with what the witnesses have described. It must be absolutely shocking. The question is what can be done.

Can the witnesses tell me how many people from Ireland are working abroad in other jurisdictions? How many Irish volunteers does MSF have? I know one or two people who are working and the impact on them has been enormous. They will never be the same again having seen what they have seen and been through what they have been through. I thank the witnesses for what they do and thank MSF volunteers across the globe.