Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I also give the Tánaiste my best wishes for the next six months ahead. Wearing my AWEPA hat, I ask about the development aid budget. I hope the various NGOs, which have been very concerned about what they saw as a real possibility of that budget being cut, are reassured by what the Tánaiste said today that it is not being cut and will, in fact, increase. It must be a priority for us that the poorest of the poor do not suffer in recessionary times.

We have previously discussed the issue of tax avoidance and tax evasion. The policy document makes reference to VAT fraud etc. A recent conference in Malawi addressed this area. I acknowledge the work that Christian Aid and the Debt and Development Coalition have done. We need to be a very strong voice in stating that we are not facilitating, allowing or contributing to multinationals not paying their just taxes in African countries and thereby robbing African countries of the benefits from their resources.

I refer to the arrest and detention in Zimbabwe of the human rights activist Mr. Okay Machisa, who, I understand, is being held in leg irons at the moment. Some years ago he brought to Ireland a photographic exhibition showing the violence associated with the previous elections in Zimbabwe. President Higgins opened the exhibition. A number of organisations support the call for this gentleman's release from jail. I ask the Tánaiste to encourage our ambassador to South Africa, who presented his credentials in Zimbabwe, to be a supporter of free and fair elections in Zimbabwe when they come. I know he is interested in promoting trade, which is fine, but we are not seen to be a presence at some of the human rights trials taking place in Zimbabwe.

On enlargement, there is considerable support to encourage Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. There seems to be an attitude of letting the Bosnians look after themselves. There is a real fear among analysts that within 20 years Bosnia and Herzegovina could be lost to both Serbia and Croatia.

We talk about conflict prevention. This is the group involved with human rights issues for prisoners in Northern Ireland. We have been there and we are scheduled to meet the Tánaiste. It is unfortunate we were not able to meet before Christmas as the Tánaiste had planned. We need to look at what is happening in our own country. There are issues in the North that are undermining the Good Friday Agreement. They have been allowed to fester for nearly three years. People, whose licences have been revoked, are in jail and no charges have been brought against them.

In all our discussions and priorities we should include people with disabilities. They do not get a heading and were not included in the millennium development goals. We could be a voice on that issue.