Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have made a note about keeping aid on the agenda. Obviously, we all can make a personal input, but the clear message is that the Irish Government must use its EU Presidency, have as one of its key themes maintaining overseas development aid and aim to increase it as part of the MFF process.

Mr. Crowley mentioned food and biscuits. It is worth putting on the record that is a reference to the proposed destruction of 500 metric tonnes of emergency food, which is enough food to feed 1.5 million children for a week, as a result of a decision taken by the Trump Presidency and the action taken by the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, in terms of USAID. Mr. Crowley obviously has colleagues in the US. Given that the whole MAGA movement professed to be followers of Jesus and supporters of the poor, is there any leverage that can be exerted on them to highlight this atrocity and show that what has been done in the US is an abomination? That is a separate question from what is being discussed by this committee today.

I have specific questions on the EU's position on Afghanistan, which relate to my last point because a lot of the food and biscuits were going to be given to Afghan children. At present, Afghan women are not even allowed to speak. Afghanistan is the most repressive country in the world in terms of the treatment of women. Do any of CONCORD Europe's constituent organisations have to make compromises to get into Afghanistan and provide some form of emergency aid? What would CONCORD Europe call on the European Union to do to put pressure on the Taliban? I know that is a big ask because there is not much leverage but we are never going to get past subsistence unless women get a voice in Afghanistan.