Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I welcome the ambassador. I take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of the outgoing Irish ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Paddy Fay, and wish his successor, Mr. Sean Hoy, every success, as well as a productive and positive time in Nigeria and other west African countries.

When we listened to what had happened to the schoolgirls, I cannot help but recall the Dublin second level schoolgirls I saw earlier in the Visitors Gallery in the Dáil and their safe access to primary and second level education, as well as the opportunity to attend third level, if that is their choice. I know the Cuban ambassador is present at the meeting. I am aware of the amazing work that has been done in Cuba since the revolution to ensure everyone in that country is educated. The whole thrust of Boko Haram is to deprive girls of an education and bring them back to the status of slaves in feudal times. If we deprive girls of an education, we are also depriving the education system of female teachers whom we all acknowledge are excellent role models in so many countries.

Several years ago, when Madeleine McCann went missing in Portugal, there was a massive outcry and massive media attention for that one girl. While I accept the efforts to ensure the safe return of the 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria that the ambassador outlined, there was an obvious lack of urgency at the beginning on the part of the Nigerian Government to deal with the abduction. There was a lacklustre response and I do not accept that it had happened in a remote area. There could have been more focus on the event when it happened. Would it have been left as a sideline issue, were it not for international pressure and attention?

Do we have all of the names of the girls abducted?

Do we know who their families are in the event that some of them are trafficked out of Africa so that other countries can watch out for them and know who they are? There were reports that defence forces in the area knew that something was coming and did not have the necessary troops to repel this incursion by Boko Haram. Are Nigerian troops infiltrated by Boko Haram? Given that Nigeria has so many resources and such a vast population, why are more resources not going to the defence authorities to ensure people are safe? What has declaring a state of emergency actually achieved? Does the ambassador know who is arming Boko Haram?