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

I welcome the Minister and his officials. Irish Aid is doing amazing work across the world. The Chairman will recall that on 8 February last, the committee heard a briefing from Dóchas, Misean Cara, the Marist Asia Foundation, Plan International Ireland and Concern Worldwide, all of which outlined a bleak picture across the world with respect to education. They were all quite complimentary about what Irish Aid is doing. We should be doing more, however.

Pre-Covid, worldwide there were 125 million girls not in school. The situation has worsened since then, as we were told. Between conflict, Covid, corruption and climate change, many communities and societies are under terrible pressure. The reports I have had from people who have been impacted by Irish Aid have been extraordinarily positive. A small amount of euro can, and is, making a massive difference. Irish people are doing amazing work in those areas under very challenging circumstances. For instance, in Nigeria the cost of security for a girl going to school is a huge challenge and there are issues with climate change and conflict and in regard to Covid where parents have died and older children are charged with looking after their younger siblings and so cannot go to school. I thank the Minister, the teams in the Department and beyond and the NGOs for the working that is being done. I encourage the Government to support the Minister in anything he can do to further develop areas and support people across the world, in particular the children who need education, health supports and accommodation and, at the end of the day, employment. We have seen testimonies of people who have managed to get to school through the support of Irish Aid and reached their fantastic potential. We need to highlight the positive, but to also look for more, if that is possible.

If I may be so bold as to piggyback on what the Chairman said at the previous session in regard to the American Irish Historical Society building in New York, I would also welcome a comment from the Minister of State on that.