Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will begin by apologising. I had a clash with another committee meeting and missed the Minister of State's opening remarks.

It is fair to say that since I came into the meeting, my colleagues have exhausted a number of issues with the Minister of State. I have just one question to put but before doing so, like my colleagues, I wish to acknowledge how engaged and vocal the Minister of State has been on this issue. That does not only apply in terms of asking people for support and solidarity, important as that is. He has also been clear in explaining what exactly is going on and outlining the man-made climate catastrophe and its impact on people in the Horn of Africa.

The Minister of State has rightly spoken about our international obligations and what the State can do at the UN, EU and international level. We recognise the fantastic work of our NGOs on the ground. We all feel a responsibility as human beings, in the first instance. As members of this committee and parliamentarians, is there scope for us to do things at a parliamentary level as well, whether that is through the EU Council, the Inter-Parliamentary Union or the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly? I appreciate that all of those cogs turn slowly and this is an urgent issue. Is there an initiative we can take in and between these Houses that in a symbolic way, as opposed to a gestural way, sends out a message to our colleagues across the EU and UN, and internationally? Has the Minister of State given any thought to that? Is there anything we can do from a parliamentarian to parliamentarian perspective?