Ms Lynn Boylan:

I will come in on the peacebuilding first. There are two important points to be made. The first is Ireland's historical knowledge and experience of peacebuilding that we bring to the table. I will go back to the issue of cohesion policy funds, which we on this island have benefited from for peacebuilding and peace funding. This fund is now being used by EU countries for military purposes and is moving away from the peacebuilding. The EU was set up as a peace project initially.

As Senator Higgins said, it is also important to note that peacebuilding should follow peacekeeping. The UN is a leading instrument in doing that through working with civil society organisations, regional organisations and multilateral banks. The UN fund responds to and addresses critical peacekeeping opportunities. The structures the UN has in terms of peacebuilding pillars and the framework have to be in place. Additionally, money has to be put behind it because peacebuilding also requires money.

The UN's peacebuilding fund, PBF, strategy for 2020 to 2024 has a target of investing €1.5 billion over five years to broaden and deepen actions that would prevent violent conflict. Comparing that with the EU, not only are the cohesion policy funds now moving away from where they were, but the EU peacebuilding initiative is being funded to the tune of €5 million. That is also in the context we have at a time when the EU is proposing to spend €800 million on weapons. Annually, €5 million will be spent on peacebuilding, while €800 million will be spent on weapons. I compare that with the UN and its peacebuilding model of €1.5 billion over five years.