Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests and welcome them to the meeting. The illegal war in Ukraine has impacted particularly strongly on women and children. It is obviously also impacting on the men who have remained in Ukraine to fight but among the more than six million who have been displaced, many are women and children. That is a particular form of barbarism and is tragedy. The committee is very much supportive of what our guests have come to promulgate.

I am happy to learn that Ireland and Australia were to the front of organising and supporting the UN Women's Peace & Humanitarian Fund from the outset. Deputy Clarke's question around trafficking that could take place or may be taking place is of interest to all of us. To what extent is this happening? The question of vaccination also arises. People who are displaced may not be getting their proper sets of vaccinations against various illnesses and diseases such as the MMR vaccine. Treatment for HIV is obviously critical.

I ask the witnesses to comment further on the vaccination situation among displaced persons, the risk of trafficking and, specifically, the issues around the treatment of HIV, to which they referred. Are the funds adequate? Is this being dealt with or is there more they would suggest needs to be done now?

The witnesses can take it we in Ireland are strongly in support of a response to the displaced persons who have come to this country. We are very proud of that and it should not be otherwise. I would be interested to hear general comments on those points. It is as much a comment as questions.