Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence
Dóchas Pre-Budget Submission: Discussion
Mr. Feargal O'Connell:
I will respond to Deputy Stanton's question about linking communities. Self-help Africa has the plant the planet initiative where, over a number of years, we have brought 50 county level GAA players to Kenya. It has been an important fundraising initiative for us around sustainable landscapes and tree planting, but it goes beyond that. It is also an effective cultural exchange, where the county level GAA players get to engage with Kenyan athletes. During the last trip we had in November, the first ever compromise rules game was played on the continent of Africa. The team played a match against a professional Kenyan soccer team. There are lots of initiatives. We have such a vibrant civil society in Ireland that there are huge opportunities for those kinds of links to grow.
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