Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Chairman. My contribution is not so much have a question but an acknowledgement of the witnesses' presence and the detail they have given to the committee, including the stark detail on hunger, climate, conflict and Covid. The witnesses are making a pitch to the Government to respond, insofar as it can, in the ongoing budgetary process, which is eagerly awaited on many fronts, not least with the demands on the Exchequer to meet the response that is necessary as a result of Covid and war and the impact of war on the cost of living. Thankfully, we have never failed in our duty and responsibility in the area of overseas aid, from many difficult times through to the even more difficult times we currently face. As my colleague from Sinn Féin, Deputy Brady, noted, there is an onus of responsibility not just on us but also on the wider European Union and the world's powers to respond accordingly.

I hear and acknowledge what the witnesses have said. I hope we can impress that on those in power who have a duty to help those worse off than ourselves. Although we may also be impacted presently, as many of our people believe, it is never on the scale that has been relayed to us by our guests today. We will do our best to impress upon our colleagues who have that duty, responsibility and privilege the need to look favourably on some of the recommendations the witnesses have made and insist that our representatives on the UN Security Council ensure they highlight these issues with those who are a lot more powerful than us. We need to ensure the complacency Mr. Byrne referred to is arrested and a genuine effort is made by those who have the capacity to respond to do so.