Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade

Role and Functions: Trócaire

2:30 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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We will move to the main item on the agenda, which is a meeting with the new executive director of Trócaire, Mr. Éamonn Meehan. He is joined by his colleagues, Dr. Lorna Gold and Ms Caoimhe de Barra. We are pleased to have the witnesses before us and I have known Mr. Meehan a long time, as we attended St. Flannan's College in Ennis for five years in Ennis. I was delighted to see him as executive director general of Trócaire as I know he has worked extremely hard in the organisation through the years. He deserves the role. This is Mr. Meehan's first appearance before the committee. I offer him my congratulations and those of the members of the committee. We look forward to working with him today.

We will hear a presentation from Mr. Meehan before engaging in a question and answer session. We look forward to Mr. Meehan's comments as he plots his course as executive director general of Trócaire.

Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

I thank the Chairman. St. Flannan's College in the early 1970s seems a long time ago now.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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You have not changed a bit.

Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

Thank you. I very much welcome the invitation to address the joint committee. It provides me with an opportunity to acknowledge personally the very valuable work of the committee on development issues, consider the new responsibility the committee has been given in overseeing Ireland's progress on policy coherence for development and update members on Trócaire's views and responses to current sectoral domestic issues and positions on key international challenges, especially climate change. Following last year's publication of the policy for international development, One World, One Future, we now await the outcome of the most significant review of Ireland's foreign policy and external relations since 1996. The review of foreign policy represents a key opportunity to reaffirm Ireland's core values and principles as set out in One World, One Future and to integrate these into Ireland's foreign policy for the future.

The review takes place in a context where the scale and complexity of current and emerging challenges are formidable. The impacts of global economic and environmental challenges are compounded in developing countries when poor governance and failed institutions accentuate economic and social inequalities, facilitating resource grabbing by elite interests and further institutionalising exclusion, poverty and corruption. In Ireland, the delay in implementing charities legislation and appointing a charities regulator has compounded an already difficult operating environment for charitable organisations. I am happy to address the ways in which Trócaire has responded to this governance vacuum in more detail. Members will have received some information in a background briefing note describing how Trócaire works, our programme approach, thematic programme areas, the countries we work in, finance and auditing standards and changes at board and executive level in 2013. In the interests of saving time, I will focus on a small number of key issues in three of our programmes in respect of which action by the joint committee would be most welcome.

First, I wish to highlight climate change. Trócaire's sustainable livelihoods and environmental justice programme seeks practical ways to support people's right to food, a livelihood and to make a living. Progress towards food security and poverty reduction is becoming increasingly difficult in the face of ever more unpredictable climatic events and the woefully insufficient action to tackle climate change by those most responsible for causing it. In recent years, we have witnessed at first hand how frequent and severe climatic events like storms and droughts disproportionately impact the world's most vulnerable people. Global leaders have awoken to the seriousness of climate change given the recent experiences with extreme weather in Ireland, the USA and the UK.

However, to date action by policy makers at all levels has been slow and insufficient. Ireland must do its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Publication of the long awaited climate change Bill is expected before Easter. The outline heads of the Bill, published in February 2013 can be improved. Based on extensive public hearings, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht recommended in a report published in November 2013 a number of ways to improve the Bill. In light of the role of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade on policy coherence for development, I encourage members to support the findings of that report and, through appropriate channels, encourage the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to reflect its findings in the Bill. In particular, the Bill should incorporate a national objective for 2050 of near-zero emissions from energy, buildings and transport, carbon neutrality in agriculture and ensure the expert advisory body follows the model of the fiscal advisory council.

To put matters in context, I have just returned from Zimbabwe where I visited subsistence farming communities in the Matobo region of Matabeleland. Trócaire commissioned research recently into the impact of climate change on rural communities in Zimbabwe. Using meteorological data going back to 1970, the researchers have shown that the mean maximum temperature for Matobo district has risen from 25.8o between 1970 and 1980 to 26.9o between 2000 and 2008. At the same time, the figures show a decline in mean rainfall patterns from 707 mm between 1970 and 1980 to 476 mm between 2000 and 2010. The frequency of dry agricultural seasons is increasing. A continuation of this trend will make agriculture and food production impossible in this region and other parts of Zimbabwe. Responding to climate change is no longer a choice but the effectiveness of how we do so is very much within our control.

The joint committee has taken a strong interest in violations of human rights around the world. As such, I wish to draw the attention of members to two issues within our governance and human rights programme. The first is one with which members will be familiar, that is the ongoing human rights issues in the occupied Palestinian territories. I visited Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in January and witnessed the ongoing and systematic displacement of Palestinians. Many are being forced off their land due to the construction of Israel's separation wall, the ongoing demolition of Palestinian houses and the expansion of Israeli settlements. It was striking that the settlements are expanding at such a rate and construction was evident across the West Bank. There are now more than 500,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Despite the current US-led peace negotiations, the Israeli Government has continued to expand settlements in recent months with successive announcements of the construction of thousands of new housing units. Furthermore, according to UN data, 286 Palestinian structures have been demolished since 28 July 2013 when negotiations started.

These actions are illegal under international law and are undermining the fragile negotiation process. Greater action is needed by European governments to ensure pressure is put on Israel to abide by international law. The timing is critical to support the process and prevent the talks from collapsing. European leverage at this moment could have a very positive impact. The joint committee has already endorsed the proposal of an EU trade ban with Israeli settlements. The Tánaiste has also publicly supported such a proposal. Achieving an EU consensus on banning settlement trade may not be realistically achievable in the short term. Ireland, however, should consider demonstrating leadership by taking action at national level. In recent months, the Dutch and UK governments have taken steps to introduce official government advice to their private sectors regarding the risks involved in having commercial links with Israeli settlements and being potentially implicated in violations of international law. We encourage the Irish Government to do likewise and issue formal advice to importers and other businesses to refrain from purchasing settlement goods and to avoid all commercial and investment links with the settlements. Many commentators have raised concerns that this may be the last chance for peace negotiations for some time.

I refer briefly to a second issue, which is the premature end of the term of office of Guatemala's Attorney General. The issue is outlined in the briefing note we circulated. Ireland has a direct interest in this issue as it has funded the UN's International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala. The early termination of the term of office of the Attorney General is a matter of concern. We ask the joint committee to take the matter up with the Tánaiste and to ask him in turn to take the matter up with his counterpart, Guatemala's Minister for foreign affairs.

The final issues to highlight today arise in the context of our humanitarian programme. Trócaire's humanitarian work continues to address needs created by both natural and man-made crises. We support humanitarian programmes in more than 20 countries with a variety of national and international NGO partners. Natural catastrophes such as Typhoon Haiyan in the Phillipines mobilised very significant resources. The task we face there, while daunting, is not complex or dangerous. Complex and protracted crises in Syria, Sudan and Somalia require ongoing public interest and political engagement. Today, I draw particular attention to the complex crisis in Syria and the hidden crisis in South Kordofan, Sudan.

Since 2011, more than 130,000 Syrian people have been killed from what started as peaceful civil action. In the bloodiest chapter of the Arab Spring, Syria has become the battlefield for a proxy war. The action and inaction of many has turned a stable country into a humanitarian disaster that is affecting the wider region. More than 2 million people, mainly women and children, have fled to Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon. It is worth noting that the UN appeal for $6.5 billion to support the people of Syria has been funded to the tune of 11%. That is shocking and unacceptable. Trócaire continues to deepen its engagement with Caritas and local partners working in the region. Distribution of food, water, basic cooking utensils, clothing, sanitary material, mattresses and blankets has taken place to several hundred thousand people while access to health care and psycho-social support for the most vulnerable and education for children have been supported. With more than 4 million people displaced internally and little regard for those trapped between battle lines, the crisis appears intractable. Ireland's response to the crisis has been to allocate €19 million in humanitarian assistance and a commitment to allow 90 Syrians refugee status here.

The scale of the humanitarian crisis demands a greater openness by Ireland to welcoming a larger number of Syrian refugees to this country.

The armed conflict in Sudan’s South Kordofan state between the Sudanese Government and armed opposition group, the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army-North, continues unabated, to the detriment of the civilian population. The conflict in South Sudan has diverted international attention and complicated the difficult task of ensuring assistance continues to the people of the Nuba Mountains and South Kordofan because the access routes to the Nuba Mountains and South Kordofan are through South Sudan. As I address the committee today, 270,000 people require food, water and medical assistance. It is crucial that the international community supports the humanitarian response in South Kordofan and highlights this appalling situation in international fora.

I thank the Chairman and the committee for this opportunity to engage with them on the work of Trócaire.

2:40 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I thank Mr. Meehan for his informative presentation on Trócaire's work.

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I refer to the area of policy coherence which means we should not give with one hand while taking with the other. For example, land that had been used for food is then used for producing biofuel. Has Mr. Meehan experience of instances where land has been grabbed, literally, or subtly, from people who had been living there for many years?

There is no doubt that the situation in Syria is a huge problem which is getting worse. Today there are reports about bombing of civilians. There is a fear that an evacuation will not be properly patrolled with the danger that men will be taken. Will Trócaire have a role in the process? Like other members I received an e-mail from the Israeli ambassador with regard to Palestine and the funding of NGOs. I was fortunate to visit Palestine in a semi-private capacity last November. We met wonderful community groups, youth groups, drama groups, cultural groups and heritage groups. We visited a wonderful music school with a symphony orchestra. In general, there seemed to be disconnect between those groups and the Palestinian Authority. What is Trócaire's engagement with such groups? There is no doubt that the settlement issue is the biggest factor preventing peace. It is only when one is able to see the separation wall in Hebron that one realises the extent of the settlement problem. There seems to be a disconnect between the political issues and the people who have decided to get on with their lives. We met groups in both Palestine and Israel and we wondered where is the dialogue between people and the movement to bring people together. The dialogue seems to have fallen away due to pessimism and perhaps cynicism that there had not been progress in the years since the Oslo Accords.

Photo of Jim WalshJim Walsh (Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Brendan Smith asked me to convey to the delegates that he is very appreciative of the work of Trócaire and we all echo that thanks. I visited India a number of years ago and I spoke to people actively involved in the Irish Aid programme. They singled out Trócaire as an agency that provided sustainable assistance to areas in great need rather than simply crisis management. This is to Trócaire's credit.

Mr. Meehan referred to the need for a charities regulator, an issue that has been highlighted as a result of recent controversies which I believe will lead to greater transparency on the part of charities. I ask Mr. Meehan to comment on the possible effects of the controversy on Trócaire's fund-raising. Ireland has a great tradition of supporting charitable organisations. It would be a pity if a few organisations were to damage that ethos.

Mr. Meehan gave the example of Zimbabwe as being a microcosm of what is happening elsewhere in Africa and the need to address the issue of climate change. There was a focus on climate change a number of years ago. However, in my view, the global financial collapse has diverted attention away from the issue of climate change. There is also a tendency to see it as someone else's problem. Ireland is a small country compared to China or India and therefore it could be perceived that our impact is minimal compared to the impact of larger countries. How can that mentality be overcome? How can cohesive global action be achieved with regard to climate change? Unless the major economic powers are involved, any action we take would only scratch the surface.

The Chairman of the committee led a deputation to Palestine last summer. I was shocked at the conditions in which Palestinians are living and their dispersal throughout that region. It is shocking to discover that many of the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon have been in existence since 1948, with people living in atrocious conditions. I have photographs which I took of collapsed houses in a dangerous condition with people living in them. We were flabbergasted to see that because such buildings would be cordoned off in Ireland. The settlements are continuing. The Israeli ambassador wrote to all members of the committee. I appeal to the ambassador and to the Israelis, as people who have suffered enormously throughout the centuries and in particular in the twentieth century, that their humanity should surely recognise the appalling conditions in which the Palestinians are left. Perhaps Mr. Meehan might have some suggestions as to what we could do to effect movement in that area. The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, is worthy of great credit for taking on what is almost an intractable problem.

I refer to the situation in Sudan and in the Central African Republic. Trócaire may not be working in the Central African Republic but the situation in that region is atrocious, with displacement of people and the humanitarian crisis. It is a pity to see the living conditions of the Syrians who were educated enterprising people, whose standard of living exceeded others in that region. I share Mr. Meehan's view that Ireland should be taking greater responsibility for accommodating refugees. I welcome any suggestions in this regard.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I invite Deputy Crowe to make his contribution before I invite Mr. Meehan to respond.

2:50 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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I congratulate Mr. Meehan on his appointment as Trócaire's new executive director and thank him for his presentation. We are all aware of the outstanding work Trócaire is doing around the world. I am sure that will continue under his leadership.

Trócaire has needed to reduce the number of countries in which it is working from 27 to 17 over the 2013-15 period. Was this due to financial considerations or were there other considerations? Like others, I am happy it is continuing its work in Palestine. It is not only involved in highlighting human rights abuses, poverty and so on, but it also acts as an advocacy group.

Mr. Meehan mentioned the formal advice from the British and Dutch governments. Are there particular reasons that Mr. Meehan can articulate as to why the Irish Government does not want to give the same basic advice to Irish companies? We seem to be working towards a consensus across Europe on this matter, but it is interesting that many companies, particularly multinationals and banks, are pushing ahead regardless of what their governments are doing. This initiative is coming from some of the largest banks in Germany, Holland and so on. Would Mr. Meehan encourage companies based in Ireland to follow suit?

What work does Trócaire undertake in Palestine and in partnership with whom? We are all horrified by what is happening in Gaza. It seems to be getting worse. Conditions were affected by recent floods and there is no access for supports.

Trócaire also works in Uganda. We are all aware of the passing of its anti-gay Bill into law this week. Many of us view that law as draconian and an infringement of human rights. On the day it was passed, some newspapers outed 200 individuals as being LGBT. People are being targeted. We all want to send the message to the Uganda Government that this law is unacceptable. Does it change the dynamic of our country's relationship with development aid? No one wants the development work and projects that are under way in Uganda to be hampered but this situation creates difficulties. What is Mr. Meehan's advice? Does Trócaire work mainly with the Ugandan Government or NGO partners? Will Trócaire's work be affected by this law and how? How should the Irish Government react?

Like others, I am interested in the impact of the scandal about CEO's salaries. How does Trócaire highlight its transparency and oversight as regards its funding? What are its initiatives in this regard?

We were delighted when Aung San Suu Kyi was released in Myanmar-Burma, but that country is again experiencing significant levels of ethnic violence. I am particularly worried about the security of minorities like the Karen, of whom Ireland has a large population. They would like to be able to go home. The Rohingya are another group. Does Trócaire work with organisations that assist these minorities?

I congratulate Mr. Meehan on the document, "Stand for Global Justice - Trócaire". This forms part of Trócaire's advocacy work in the European Parliament. I am informed by an election candidate in Dublin, Ms Lynn Boylan, that Trócaire is asking all election candidates to sign up to it. It covers some of the areas in respect of which we have asked questions, for example, settlements, advocacy, climate change, etc. How important is it that people are not only aware of the issues when they are elected, but will also act as champions for change in the European Parliament?

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Mr. Meehan might answer those questions, as four more members wish to get involved.

Photo of Eric ByrneEric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I would like to speak next.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Mr. Meehan should hold back some of his answers. I am sure that some of the questions will overlap.

Regarding the Israeli Embassy's memo, while it acknowledges the fact that Trócaire does good work throughout the world, it claims that Trócaire's policy is unfair and imbalanced and does not take into account the complexities of the situation on the ground. What is Mr. Meehan's opinion on this?

Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

Regarding Deputy O'Sullivan's questions, policy coherence for development is critical. We have such a good track record in development co-operation that it would be a great pity if other Government or EU policies undermined our excellent work. This is at the root of policy coherence for development. It is good that this committee now has a monitoring role in that regard. It tends to be slightly orphaned as a topic within the development community, but it is one of the most important issues that we could address and involves everything from trade to tied aid, the relationship between our private sector and African governments, etc.

It is difficult for us to have a role in the Syrian evacuations. We have direct access to information from Syria and partners working inside that country. The only way to bring about a situation in which there is proper care for those who are in need is a peace agreement. A considerable amount of effort needs to go into achieving that. There are no short-term or other solutions to this crisis. The question is whether all of those who are engaged in what is a proxy war actually have the best interests of Syrians at heart or whether there are bigger issues at play.

A question was asked about the disengagement from the Palestinian Authority by groups. It is true. In terms of the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in Gaza, there is no question that there are issues of governance for ordinary Palestinians. Given the origins of the authority, it has never been in a position to develop good systems of governance. It only re-entered the West Bank and Gaza after the Oslo Accords were signed in the early 1990s. Beforehand, it was a political movement. There is a long history dating back to the Ottoman Empire of appalling governance and mistreatment of the peoples who have lived in that region. We are just seeing the latest version. It is no surprise that ordinary people in their social movements become disconnected from what they regard as a less-than-perfect government. I will revert to the Palestine question again in a moment.

Senator Walsh referred to sustainable development assistance. I thank him for his comments, as that is our approach. While short-term assistance is required in many situations, our approach is long term.

We look for sustainable solutions to people's problems. Whether that is in the area of livelihoods, around basic human rights, good governance or even in engaging in humanitarian response, we try to ensure the approach leads on to building back robust livelihoods.

Reference was made to the charities regulator. I do not remember the report produced by Declan Costello in the 1970s but I gather it encouraged the proper regulation of charities within Ireland. Over the years and for many decades Trócaire has engaged with our public representatives and encouraged and spoken out about the need for proper regulation of the charities sector. It is true to say that as a sector we have been let down over the years by the fact this did not happen but it is good it is happening now. I am somewhat concerned that it will take quite an amount of resources to get this up and running properly. It will require a regulator, a commission and public servants to work on the project. At the same time, I am hopeful that within the coming years we will have a proper structure in place whereby charities will be regulated, proper governance will be in place and we will know what is expected of us.

I wish to deal with another question that came up. In the absence of proper charities regulation in Ireland, what we have done, along with several other charities, is to import the legal standards that operate in the United Kingdom. The basis of this is an auditing standard called the statement of recommended practice for charities. It is a very detailed standard and it outlines precisely what is and is not charitable expenditure. It outlines precisely what we as a charitable organisation must reveal in our annual report and how our auditor should go about auditing the accounts. That is the legal standard in Britain. We apply it in its entirety in the auditing of our accounts and we have done so since 2007. The standard was introduced in Britain in 2005. We believe those who give us money, whether it is the taxpayer through Irish Aid or ordinary people through their donations to the Lenten campaign or otherwise, deserve that standard. We look forward to the appointment of a regulator here and I imagine the standards that will apply will be broadly similar. I cannot imagine there will be a great difference in those standards.

Reference was made to climate change. The economic crisis has drawn people's attention away from the topic not only in Ireland but globally. This is because one of the issues required to respond to it is money and if money is not available and people are concentrating on other issues, it is regrettable but that is the situation.

The problem is vast and we see it in our work all the time. Zimbabwe is only one example but it is evident in Central America, parts of South America and parts of India and Pakistan. Huge swathes of sub-Saharan Africa are seriously vulnerable to climate change. When we talk to farmers, they talk about how it is hotter than it used to be and how there is less rainfall. From our research we have actual clear-cut evidence for this based on meteorological data which has been examined for us by experienced researchers.

What does this mean for ourselves as a country? Ireland is a small country and the overall scale of our emissions in terms of global emissions is rather small. At the same time I do not believe it is acceptable for us as a country to sit back and argue that the Chinese emit hundreds of times more greenhouse gases than we do and therefore if they sorted out their house it would solve the problem. The same applies in the case of the United States and so on. If we took that attitude to every problem we would not be a nation in good standing with others.

There is an opportunity here for us as well if we can take a leadership role. There are economic opportunities for us in terms of how we approach economic development, whether in agriculture, industry or energy. I believe we can look positively at this issue. Rather than see it as a problem we could engage our best minds, think tanks, industrialists and economists to figure out how we could make ourselves into a nation that benefits from this as opposed to one that is, in a sense, fighting shy of it. It is very good that we are, at last, on the point of having climate change legislation in this country. We are now getting to a stage where we can put ourselves in a leadership position within the European Union.

Reference was made to Sudan and the conditions there. It is important to remember there are now two conflicts, literally on both sides of the border in Sudan. There is a civil war in South Sudan and, just north of the border in the state of South Kordofan, there is a conflict between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North. While the conflict in South Sudan is getting plenty of coverage, the conflict in South Kordofan is hidden but is causing much death, suffering and displacement. Hundreds of thousands of people are in serious need there. I call on the committee and the Irish Government, in whatever fora they can, to raise this issue and to try to bring pressure on the Government of Sudan to engage with the other side and cease attacks on innocent people, in particular, bombardments from the sky, which are absolutely appalling, as well as the bombing of hospitals. They know where the hospitals are, yet they continue to bomb and kill people who are working to try to save lives in those hospitals.

Deputy Crowe referred to the reduction in the number of countries. This is partly financial in the sense that the past five years have been rather difficult for us in terms of raising funds. However, at the heart of this is a realisation that if we are to do effective work, we need to narrow our focus and go deeper, and that is what we are doing. We are deepening our commitment to those 17 countries and we are strengthening our small teams there. We are increasing the capacity of those teams in those countries to deliver better quality programmes and to bring about more programmes in order that, ultimately, we can reach more people. It is a decision based on a better understanding of what actually delivers good outcomes for people. That is at the root of it. Ultimately, there is a financial component to it as well. We hope that with better impact and by being able to demonstrate that good impact, we will be able to generate more resources for those 17 countries.

3:00 pm

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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That is why Trócaire is operating in country hubs.

Mr Éamonn Meehan:

Exactly, that is it.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Some of the questions will overlap. Reference was made to the Palestinian issue. Perhaps Mr. Meehan could answer all of them in the one go. There is a vote in the Seanad as well. Did Senator Mullins want to come in before he goes to the Seanad?

Photo of Michael MullinsMichael Mullins (Fine Gael)
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I welcome Mr. Meehan and his colleagues. I wish him well in his new role. I acknowledge the good work of the outgoing chairman, my good friend, Bishop John Kirby, from Clonfert, who was chairman for many years. He was deeply committed to promoting Trócaire and to ensuring fund-raising, particularly in east Galway, was always well supported.

Is there any evidence from the Trócaire people in Syria of positive noises coming from the Syrian Government? Is it being far more co-operative with the United Nations in respect of access to aid for people who are under pressure? Is there any evidence this is happening or that there is progress?

Mr. Meehan referred to the level of promised aid materialising at only 11%. Will Mr. Meehan comment on the sustainability of the aid effort? What will happen if the promised aid does not materialise? How great a humanitarian crisis are we facing?

We received correspondence from the Israeli embassy. The correspondence asked several questions and it is only appropriate we put them on the record in the committee. One of the questions related to the nature of the relations that exist between Trócaire and the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Is it true that several former central of the IPSC are now on the staff of Trócaire?

3:10 pm

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the witnesses and thank them for their great work. I was interested in what they were saying about the need for charities regulation, which I do not think anyone would deny at this stage. Since the recent scandals and revelations, has Mr. Meehan noticed a drop in their fund-raising efforts? I am not sure what percentage of Trócaire's income comes from fund-raising, although I think I have seen it published somewhere. Has it impacted on the organisation? I know that is not the only reason to have the legislation. It is absolutely essential.
I completely agree with the points made about climate change, but in a global recession it is almost inevitable that the focus on climate change would disappear. Mr. Meehan spoke about those most responsible for causing it, and I agree that we have to take personal responsibility for it, but places like America are now changing to an even dirtier form of fossil fuel. They have so much of it that there will be no constraint on its use. Given the winter they have had, they might be persuaded that there is some truth in climate change. Perhaps some good will come out of it.
I absolutely agree with Mr. Meehan that what is happening in Palestine is really tragic. I got the same questions from the Israeli embassy and I can understand why they are asking these questions. Nobody is suggesting that the Palestinian Authority has given the most wonderful leadership. I am sure there are abuses going on in Gaza, but if I lived in Gaza, I would be radicalised as well. Trócaire is looking for a boycott of Jewish communities operating in the occupied territories in the West Bank. They make the point that there are 23,000 Palestinian workers there, but if people moved into my front garden and set up a shop and tried to justify it by telling me they were going to give me a job in the shop, I would not be terribly impressed. These arguments just do not stand up. I was there many years ago when the Oslo Accords seemed to offer some hope to the people there. I can understand that they would be utterly disillusioned at this stage and I hope the talks produce something for them.
In respect of Syria, I was thinking that 90 refugees is a pitiful numbers, given the huge scale of that problem, but even if we were to double it, that is still a drop in the ocean. Mr. Meehan is absolutely right in saying that the only solution to this is a peace agreement, regardless of the agenda behind it. This is important not just for the people trapped in Syria, because the refugees can never be assimilated into their current host countries. The richer countries like Ireland will never take enough of them to solve the problem, and the economic status of the countries they are in does not permit it. What can we do in the meantime to ameliorate the conditions that exist in the refugee camps? I know Trócaire is working in them. I was reading in The Guardianyesterday about the impact the conflict is having on women, with a huge increase in the number of deaths of women in child birth, of babies dying, and of violence against women, even from their own husbands due to the stress of the conditions in which they are living. Is there any way of shaming the states into meeting their commitments? Is there anything we can do in that respect? It seems to be an horrendous situation in Syria.

Photo of Eric ByrneEric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I congratulate Trócaire on its humanitarian work. I thank Mr. Meehan for his detailed submission. There is absolutely nothing he contributed with which one could disagree. He highlighted the key areas, such as climate change, governance issues - we all know how important that is in emerging democracies - and human rights. I express my deep appreciation of the Roman Catholic community in Ireland. Notwithstanding all the economic difficulties, the contributions to Trócaire have increased on average by 4%, which is an incredible achievement. I thank the witnesses for providing us with more detailed documentation earlier which allowed me to understand a little bit more about Trócaire and its specific Roman Catholic structure. I must admit I am never quite sure about the difference between Trócaire and Concern, but at least I now have it here that Bishop William Crean, the Bishop of Cloyne, is the chairman of Trócaire.

Looking at Trócaire as a religious organisation, Mr. Meehan mentioned the countries in which the organisation is operating, including countries in Africa. I presume Somalia is a Muslim country. The conflict in South Sudan is between Christians and Muslims. There was also a conflict between Christians and Muslims in Kenya. We read about the horrendous massacre in northern Nigeria of students in their dormitories, burned to death by fanatics from the Muslim community, who are systematically targeting Christians, Catholics and others. Mr. Meehan highlights that Trócaire concentrates on addressing the issues of HIV and the AIDS and then speaks about the vulnerability to AIDS. We talk further about gender equality, which I presume is about empowering women. I note that Trócaire is involved in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is recognised as the world capital for rape.

The themes involved are gender, women, Catholicism, Christianity and empowering women. Perhaps I will take the lead from Senator Norris, who would argue about fertility control, and ask whether Mr. Meehan finds any degree of conflict in the implementation of Trócaire's policies. I would argue that maybe a woman has more control of her fertility, that is to say, could engage in family planning, have a smaller family, and might be more economically secure in her development. I would argue that for the poor unfortunates in the Democratic Republic of Congo who are being raped incessantly, abortion may be an issue that would have to be addressed by these unfortunate schoolchildren, or whoever they are. These are important issues for a Catholic or Protestant agency engaging in this work. Does Mr. Meehan find that such a conflict exists in the field?

I cannot help but feel very sorry for the lesbian spokesperson from Uganda who spoke about the horrors that are going to unfold there. That law is so repressive. I lived in Africa for four years. African men are macho and the culture is macho. They are going to target systematically these poor unfortunate sexual minorities and annihilate them. There is a terrible record in Africa, unfortunately. Black Africans can be born white as albinos, believe it or not, and there is a terrible systematic slaughtering of albinos.

Trócaire is addressing all the issues that are of concern to humanity, such as gender inequality and HIV-AIDS. One of the methods of reducing vulnerability to HIV is the use of condoms and other forms of prevention. Does Trócaire experience a conflict between its religious persuasion and the implementation on the ground?

Given that Trócaire is involved in so many of the Muslim societies, is there a conflict? Aid workers have been murdered because they were trying to inoculate children against polio and the Muslim community say this is a Western-inspired plot. I wish the organisation the best. Does Trócaire have a relationship with the Red Cross and Red Crescent and the different structures, Red Crescent presumably being the Muslim interpretation of the Red Cross in the West?

3:20 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I welcome Mr. Éamonn Meehan, Ms Caoimhe de Barra and Ms Lorna Gold to the committee and thank them for their submission. I wish to make a couple of points on the issues raised. I will try to steer away from issues raised by others.

Global challenges are compounded locally and poor governance and failed institutions accentuate economic and social inequalities. In attempting to address these issues, we are often faced with suggestions that the people for whom the aid is intended do not necessarily always receive the aid to the extent intended and that administration costs in the process cause particular problems. Perhaps the witnesses would respond to that issue in some fashion.

The point on the Charities Act 2009 was well made, a point which the Chairman and I have made on numerous occasions. I am concerned that five years have elapsed since the Act was passed. We are all aware of situations where, in the event that it had been passed on time with all its trappings, some of the issues that have arisen in the interim may not have occurred at all. We all support that view and continue to raise it.

Climate change is an issue we need to look at again. Climate change is not new. It comes and goes over the millennia and has come and gone several times. It happens to be here now. It used to be called global warming. We can attest to the fact that it does not always mean warming, as we know from recent events. We need to recognise that it is an economic issue. Those countries that do not observe it can have an economic advantage. Those countries that do not take account of the guidelines laid down and do not observe carbon emission requirements have a duty to the rest of us. I strongly agree that, proportionately, we need to address our own particular responsibilities in that area and I think we are all committed to that. Recently, there were some suggestions to the effect that we do not need to do that, that the whole situation has changed and in some strange way the European Union has decided to reduce its targets after 2030, which is some time away. A lot of water will run under the bridge between now and 2030. The question I would raise is to what extent Trócaire finds the equivatory response in some quarters to the whole question of climate change and the economic impact it has for all of us.

As a representative of this country I would have a friendly attitude to the agri-sector, which is the main business of this country. Other countries throughout the globe do not necessarily have the same attitude. Ireland is in the happy position where it can offset its carbon responsibilities to those countries which it sees as having a serious contribution to make. Everything that grows has a contribution to make as a repository in relation to carbon, including grass and trees, and some trees more than others. Some trees that are not highly regarded here, for example, the infamous sitka spruce, has a huge capacity to absorb carbon. The one thing to remember is that when burned or destroyed it emits the same amount of carbon it took in. That is simple technology. There are those who would suggest that is not true and those who would suggest that some industrial treatment in the interim can change all that. It does not change it. Anything that goes through an industrial process has a carbon attachment, regardless of whether we like it.

At another committee of the House in the past couple of weeks, I heard people suggest that the whole issue of the requirement to comply with carbon limits does not apply any more, that it is all rubbish and nonsense. That has to be confronted. To what extent does Trócaire hear such comments in the course of its very important and charitable work? As I have often said, the only fuel that is carbon neutral is untreated wood, straight out of the forest, that goes into the stove. It just emits what it absorbed in the first place, nothing more and nothing less. There was no industrial process whatsoever, except the chainsaw.

An issue that has arisen from time to time is the question of aid for trade. We have discussed it at recent meetings. As far as I can see, it is becoming more evident, particularly with some of the more powerful upcoming countries, that it is being used to the benefit of the donor countries, more so than the recipients.

Southern Sudan was discussed at the joint committee in the past. An issue that other members and I have raised from time to time is the global menu of crises that take place on a daily basis and whether it is possible to identify them in a way which would mean a more focused and concentrated effort could be directed towards those areas in need of the most immediate and urgent treatment. We dealt with Somalia in the past and it continues to be an issue. We have dealt with refugees from Somalia, a country that had appalling catastrophes perpetrated on the civilian population some years ago. Issues that would make the hair stand on one's head were brought to our attention by refugees in this country. They did not always receive the kind of comfort and succour to which they would have aspired, and tragically so. The question that arises is the extent to which Trócaire is in a position to identify those most sensitive areas that are in urgent need of attention in the course of its daily work and the degree to which it can address these issues or if Trócaire, like we are from time to time, is distracted by each emerging issue of a really serious nature on a daily, weekly or monthly basis to such an extent that it has to spread itself in all directions at the same time.

Photo of Dan NevilleDan Neville (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Trócaire delegation. I am sorry I was not present earlier but I have had an opportunity to read the presentation. I do not wish to repeat anything that has been said. Last year, a delegation from this committee visited Jordan, Palestine and Israel and looked at the situation. One of the concerns, apart from all those in relation to the Palestinian issue - not least the reaction of the areas we visited - was the pressures that arose in Jordan due to the number of refugees arriving there with high level skills who are now competing with the Jordanian people for career opportunities.

I felt there was a situation of rising tension there at the time. Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon are under the same pressures from the number of refugees pouring into them. I know there is some hope developing in the area. However, when we were there, all the information was that it would take at least ten years for any type of resolution to emanate from the conflict that exists. The worry was that these countries would begin to change their attitude towards the refugees because, if the situation continues over the predicted period, a lot of social difficulties will develop for the refugees in the countries they have travelled to. What is the up-to-date information on that issue? While it was not very serious when we there, it was developing. How will it be in five, six or seven years time? How can this be planned for by the UN and the NGOs involved in the area?

3:30 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Thank you. Some of Deputy Crowe's questions remain to be answered and there were also questions on Uganda and Palestine. Obviously, we are all concerned at recent developments in Uganda. The Minister of State, Deputy Costello, said yesterday he is waiting for a report from our embassy in Uganda in order to comment further on what action will be taken. It is obviously quite serious. We want to hasten bilateral relations between both countries. We fund NGOs there at present but we do not fund the government there as a result of what happened before. It is something the committee will probably consider at some stage in the future. We were to go to Uganda this year. I believe we should still go there and protest at this draconian legislation. It is something to bear in mind.

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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We had a delegation of Ugandan parliamentarians who met us, both from the Opposition and the Government. They were quite definite at that stage that the president would not pass that law, and we discussed this with them. It is astonishing that it was passed.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I call Mr. Meehan to respond.

Mr Éamonn Meehan:

I will draw in my colleagues shortly but I will begin by responding on one or two points. In regard to Uganda, our fundamental principle is that each individual, by virtue of their birth and their humanity, is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. On that basis, the recent legislation in Uganda is seriously flawed. It is not good legislation and it denies basic rights to a very vulnerable group. It is opening a situation where we can expect to see attacks on people and where people will be killed or forced to leave the country. Originally, there was a proposal that the death penalty would be part of this legislation, and that has been reduced to life imprisonment. On any analysis, it does not meet basic human rights standards.

I want to address Deputy Byrne's question around Islam and the relationships in countries where we work, in particular issues around Trócaire as a Catholic agency. First, what is happening in Nigeria and the murder of innocent people is appalling. I do not know a lot about the situation in Nigeria but it seems to me it is a very divided country. However, it also seems to me that governance and the institutions of the state are not capable of providing basic protection for all the people of that state, which is a serious problem. Everybody is entitled to the right to life, whether they are Christians or Muslims. It is an appalling situation.

For ourselves, I will give the example of Somalia. We have been working in Somalia since 1992, when the humanitarian catastrophe started and some 1 million people died of starvation. We have worked very effectively there over the last 20 plus years, mainly in health and education programmes, and we have supported communities there to set up their own health and education committees. We have a very strong and healthy relationship with those communities and it works very well. The fact that Trócaire is a Catholic agency and providing assistance and support to Muslim people is something that, in a sense, is not strange to Trócaire. Our support and assistance is given to communities on the basis of need, regardless of their race, religion or sex. In many of the countries where we work, there is a mixture of populations. The Deputy mentioned South Sudan, and Ethiopia and Kenya are other examples where there is a good mixture of communities.

With regard to Trócaire as a Catholic organisation, as such, we are bound by the church's teaching in regard to abortion and artificial birth control. Over many years, I have seen a situation where the best responses to the HIV and AIDS crisis in particular are ones that are deeply rooted in a community and where there are a number of responses to the problem. The first response is a recognition within the community that there is a serious problem. The second is that people are willing to sit down, as a community, and decide how they can respond to this. The next is that full education is provided and there is complete openness and transparency for everybody in those education programmes about how to protect themselves from the spread of HIV and AIDS. Trócaire as an organisation insists that every education programme for communities is completely open and transparent about all methods, mechanisms and approaches to protect oneself from disease and from potential death.

Sr. Miriam Duggan is a Medical Missionary of Mary sister. She is credited in Uganda with describing, outlining and designing some of the very best community-based approaches to HIV and AIDS, which succeeded in transforming the situation in Uganda. We now see, 30 years after the crisis, that there has been a dramatic reduction in Uganda of the incidence of HIV and AIDS. There are Government approaches and UN approaches, as well as the approaches of other organisations that have a somewhat different perspective to ours. I believe there is a place for everybody.

In my own experience, and for Trócaire, condoms on their own are not a solution. There are vast quantities of them available but there needs to be a response that goes beyond that.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Does Deputy Mitchell want to come in on that point?

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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If I may. Mr. Meehan mentioned Trócaire is bound by church teaching on contraception. As I understand it, a condition of receiving Irish Aid funding is that it facilitates and participates in the distribution of contraceptive supplies in war situations or humanitarian crises. Is that a problem for Trócaire and how does it work?

Mr Éamonn Meehan:

I am not aware of that as a condition, so maybe I am just not informed on that. We certainly have not done that. The whole area of the protection of women and children in particular in conflicts and humanitarian situations is something that is very important for us. It is one of the areas where, in fact, we provide training to other organisations within our Caritas network about how to respond to those situations.

Photo of Olivia MitchellOlivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Thank you.

Mr Éamonn Meehan:

There is one other issue in regard to Palestine that I would like to respond to, and I will then draw in my colleagues. That is in regard to the question around the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, IPSC, and its staff.

Trócaire has no relationship, in terms of funding or otherwise, with the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign. One member of our staff was at one point employed by that group, but Trócaire was working on this issue many years before the individual in question joined us.

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of Bishop John Kirby, our former chairman, and his replacement, Bishop William Crean, the new Bishop of Cloyne. I also acknowledge the support of parishes throughout the country for the appeal by Trócaire in mid-November, which raised some €5 million in response to several humanitarian situations.

3:40 pm

Ms Caoimhe de Barra:

I will deal with the questions on humanitarian issues, beginning with the situation in Syria. I welcome the opportunity to have this discussion with members. The crisis in Syria has been ongoing for three years and the peace negotiations have not made a great deal of progress. There has been some small progress in terms of humanitarian access, an issue raised specifically by members. We can put the situation in context by taking the example of the city of Homs, which was besieged for 300 days. Even during the six-day ceasefire, when goods were going in and people were being evacuated, the ceasefire was violated on several occasions. The context is extremely volatile and there is huge fragility around ceasefires.

Without a formal and final peace settlement, we will see a continuation of the fragility of the current situation. Out of a population of 21 million, more than 9 million are directly affected, whether because of displacement - there are more than 2 million refugees externally displaced beyond Syria's borders, the vast majority in neighbouring countries, and some 6 million people internally displaced - or because they are stuck and cannot leave their current location. Trócaire works with several agencies inside Syria to access places like Aleppo and Homs. We have found that aid workers and civilians are being directly targeted and men are being disappeared. It is extremely difficult to access the areas we need to access.

An issue on which the Government must reinforce its advocacy at all international fora to which we have access is in calling for the implementation of the recent UN Security Council resolution on humanitarian access. That important resolution will be monitored on a monthly basis. If we can advocate for that monthly monitoring and provide any support possible for it, it will help to put pressure both on the regime and on all of the forces that are active in Syria to improve their operations. It is also important that we ensure there is accountability in the long term for the crimes against humanity that clearly are taking place in Syria and which are being inflicted by all sides to the conflict. Support for the gathering and documentation of information around crimes against humanity is very important.

Regarding the range of humanitarian crises that are ongoing at any one moment, I remind members of our work in South Kordofan, which is a forgotten emergency. Several hundred thousand people are suffering aerial bombardment there but the world knows very little about it. The way in which the UN system operates is that there are early warning systems and very good data which tell the humanitarian community and the world at large about what is happening. The tragedy is that very often these early warning systems are ignored. For example, in 2011, we knew up to six months in advance of the looming famine conditions in east Africa. It was only when the situation became critical, however, that there was a response. At that point many people had died, livestock were lost and so on. It was just not possible to go back and recover all that was lost.

In terms of the Government's response, we work extremely well with Irish Aid. The latter has a very useful tool in terms of identifying the countries that should be the priority because of their need and not because of the profile they have internationally at any one time. We must constantly question ourselves on whether or not we are giving visibility to the crises that are forgotten by the international media and whether we are making enough use of the UN's data to identify the locations where we should be operational and active.

Ms Lorna Gold:

I will comment on the issue of policy coherence for development, with particular reference to climate change and aid for trade, and how this links into the work of this committee. As members are aware, we work with several Oireachtas committees, including the environment committee where we present on the issue of climate change. Policy coherence for development is an obligation we have under the Lisbon treaty, and Irish Aid was recently peer reviewed in this regard by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. Best practice within development co-operation now requires us to look at policy coherence. It is about putting in place mechanisms for the research into and analysis and understanding of the policy linkages and policy inconsistencies that impact on intractable global problems like climate change, and also the links between our economic trade co-operation and our overseas development programmes.
In the context of the publication of One World, One Future last year, the role of this committee vis-à-vispolicy coherence for development is highlighted in terms of the biennial report that is to be produced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is to come before the committee. We have made a submission to the Department in regard to how that biennial report should be constructed. We are strongly of the view that it should have a thematic focus rather than trying to capture everything related to policy coherence for development, because it is a very complex and all-embracing issue. We would prioritise those issues where we feel there is the highest potential for inconsistencies and incoherence. We see this committee having a role in the discussion of that report and making recommendations on the basis of it.
One of the areas we highlighted was the relationship between our aid work and our trade promotion work. The alignment of trade promotion with foreign affairs by the current Government raises a question around the primary objective of our aid programme. It is stated as being about poverty eradication and human rights, but there is also talk of synergies with the Irish business sector and how to ensure there are no conflicts of interest there. Similarly, in respect of our foreign affairs policy more generally, in our submission to the review we highlighted the issue of human rights due diligence and its importance in the context of the Africa strategy and the promotion of Irish business interests in Africa. We have an obligation in terms of the policy advice we give to businesses in regard to human rights due diligence.
In regard to climate change, the concern we would bring to this committee is to ensure that the interests of the poorest and most vulnerable are taken into account in the shaping of the climate Bill. Although the environment committee has the lead role in this regard, there is also a role for this committee to ensure the Bill is consistent with stated objectives in respect of foreign policy and the aid programme.

Mr Éamonn Meehan:

Deputy Neville referred to the pressures on countries in the Middle East from refugee populations. He mentioned Palestinian refugees in Jordan and Syrian refugees. The situation in Syria has generated a massive refugee crisis. I was in Lebanon in June last year and it was interesting to get a range of perspectives on the issue. At that time, there were probably close to 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, a country with a population in the region of 4 million.

While many took seriously their humanitarian responsibility to keep open the borders and try to look after these people, an attitude was also emerging that this could not continue and many feared that the stability of Lebanon was being undermined by the influx of refugees who were taking accommodation and jobs and undercutting local Lebanese people in terms of pay for work. This is an emerging crisis. As was noted, the Palestinian refugee crisis dates back to the mid-1940s. If the current circumstances in Syria are not resolved relatively quickly, the Syrian refugees in Lebanon could remain in the country for a decade or more. While I am not sure how to resolve the crisis, it is certainly very dangerous.

Deputy Durkan asked whether people always receive the aid provided. As a non-governmental organisation working with local civil society in 17 countries, we do our utmost, through due diligence, to ensure people receive the aid provided through our programmes. There is no doubt, however, that in many developing countries institutions of the state, government and public service do not always work in the best interests of all citizens. In many cases, state capture of resources occurs, which is a problem. Among the issues that require serious attention in any attempt to promote development are the quality of governance and the control of the resources of the state. I have observed that one of the key problems in many of the countries I visit is that relatively small numbers of people are vastly wealthy, while masses of others have limited resources and many of them do not have jobs. In Zimbabwe, for instance, I was informed that 90% of the population is unemployed or employed in subsistence agriculture. The number of people employed in the formal economy is tiny.

I was asked how we respond to the menu of crises and if we are dragged all over the place. Sometimes we find ourselves overwhelmed. For instance, within a period of approximately seven months only a couple of years ago, an earthquake struck Haiti, the Horn of Africa experienced a food crisis involving about five countries and Pakistan suffered massive flooding. While we responded to all of these crises and members of the public supported us very generously, they place us under considerable pressure.

3:50 pm

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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While today's discussion has focused on Africa, Trócaire's Latin American division is also highly active. Ms Sally O'Neill and Ms Hilary Daly have engaged with the joint committee, for example, in bringing various visitors from Colombia to discuss human rights in that country. Is Trócaire still active in Colombia and, if so, with which Colombian agencies or non-governmental organisations does it work?

Ms Caoimhe de Barra:

Trócaire decided, with great regret, to withdraw from Colombia. As Mr. Meehan noted, two years ago we commenced a process of reviewing our overseas structure. The review identified that, in light of the additional external and internal pressures on the agency, Trócaire could not sustain its work across 17 countries if it was to continue to be able to deliver impact, illustrate the delivery of impact and be accountable not only to beneficiaries but also donors and supporters. We recognise that we made a significant contribution in Colombia over many years and our local partners were keen to reinforce this work. These included Catholic Church and human rights partners as well as partners working in agriculture, all of whom would have preferred if we had been able to remain in the country. By and large, however, they understood that, as an agency with limited resources, Trócaire needed to focus its resources in areas where we could make the greatest difference. We retain an advocacy relationship with organisations in Colombia and continue to engage in advocacy at a European level through networks. However, we no longer programme directly, in other words, we are no longer involved in supporting service delivery on the ground in Colombia. Trócaire is strongly engaged in Central America on issues of human rights, disaster risk reduction, gender equality and reducing domestic violence and it is our intention to continue to work in Central America, including continuing our engagement in advocacy in Colombia for the foreseeable future.

Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

The answer to Deputy Mitchell's question on whether the funds raised from the public had declined is "Yes". Our Christmas campaign raised 25% less in 2013 than in 2012. While we have noted declines in the funds raised in the past five years since the onset of the economic crisis, they have not been remotely of this scale. Apart from that, what we have noticed in the past five years is that while we are receiving donations from roughly the same number of people, the amounts they contribute have reduced. This is understandable given the circumstances in which people are now living.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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How does Mr. Meehan expect Trócaire's forthcoming Lenten campaign will fare?

Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

We are very hopeful. On average, the Lenten campaign has raised more than €8 million in each of the past three or four years. We are hoping to be able to repeat that this year. The theme this year is access to water and the availability of water, whether for households or irrigation. Obviously, there is a link with climate change which is having an impact on the availability of water.

Photo of Eric ByrneEric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I note a figure in the document indicates funding increased by 4% year on year. Mr. Meehan indicated in response to Deputy Mitchell's question that funding had declined. I ask him to explain.

Mr. Éamonn Meehan:

The 4% figure refers to a single Christmas campaign. Our financial year ends at the end of February and by the end of this financial year, our income will be greater than it was in the previous 12 months. This is due to a collection we had for a humanitarian response in mid-November. When one responds to a humanitarian crisis it generates additional resources. However, we also tried to establish what is our unrestricted income as this is, in a sense, the true measure of what is available to the organisation to spend as it sees fit and in the places it has prioritised. The emergency income is additional to this income and is allocated only to the country for which it has been raised.

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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I thank the witnesses for coming before the joint committee and enlightening members on the activities of Trócaire. We support Irish Aid funding for Trócaire and similar agencies. Members have seen at first hand the good work done by the organisation and its benefits. We look forward to continued dialogue with Trócaire. While the word "Trócaire" is pronounced slightly differently in some countries where people place an emphasis on the second syllable, it is good that the Irish name is used.

Mr. Meehan stated that water will be the theme of this year's Lenten campaign. Water is life. Members saw solar panels being used in Mozambique to pump water in places which did not have an electricity supply. We also visited a number of other Trócaire projects. We are pleased the organisation is working in this area and highlighting the important role of water. One sees women walking along roads carrying water several times a day in Africa and we appreciate the work Trócaire does in bringing water to people. I thank the witnesses again for this informed discussion on Trócaire's activities. I hope its Lenten campaign will be successful.

The joint committee went into private session at 4.10 p.m. and adjourned at 4.35 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 4 March 2014.