Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)

I am in total admiration of what the witnesses' organisations are doing. In my previous life, I was in Sri Lanka after the tsunami. I went over there as a private citizen. Twenty years on, I have six orphanages out there. It is a terrible term but I have skin in the game. I know exactly what is going on. With that in mind, and I hope I am not being insulting, when money is announced, people want to know how much will go to the coalface. From my point of view, based on my interactions, I want to know how much goes to NGOs, which I trust, and how much goes to the government in those countries. Will the witnesses comment on that?

There are two huge problems. The first is that we have to try to increase aid and the second is the ongoing debt crisis. With my background, I am 100% for increasing aid. Will the witnesses reassure us that most of the funds are going to the coalface? That is essential. The Irish people just want to be assured of that. It is a key factor. My concern is that we hear so much money will now have to be spent on defence and various other things due to the geopolitical situation, which is frightening. We do not know from one hour to another, never mind one day to another, what is going on. I would like a commitment in that regard. I can see the reservations but I am 100% for it. The global governance framework is hugely important but when I hear the term "lack of engagement" with regard to debt forgiveness by multinational companies, some based in Ireland, that is wrong in so many aspects. It has to be tackled. We have to use our position to help the witnesses' organisations. They said 61% is private funding, and I can read between the lines. Some of those companies are in Ireland. As Deputy Shay Brennan brought up earlier, they have to engage. I would love to dissect the percentage to see how much money they make from it.

Who are the shareholders? This is a very private story that should be made a lot more public. There are two issues that have to be addressed. On debt forgiveness, when a country spends more on repayments than on its health system, that is shocking.

There is a huge focus on Gaza but other countries are being left out and ignored. How can we bring them into the equation?