Mr. Simon Murtagh:

The Chairman is asking all the right questions about accountability in our spending in this area, including the three pillars, possible duplication between them and ODA. Coming back from Glasgow last year, I was not the only one to have a sense of concern and frustration about accountability and parliamentary involvement in this area. Thinking about my past here, I wondered whether a sub-committee – we do not have sub-committees at the moment – or a joint sitting of the climate committee and this committee would be appropriate. It would be something that allowed for parliamentary accountability, given that this area is going to grow to at least €225 million per year, which is a substantial amount. It is Oxfam's policy to try to increase parliamentary engagement in this regard to improve oversight and accountability. That is what we believe should happen at the Irish level.

At ground level, what Ms McKenna has been describing are what we used to refer to as coalitions of accountability that reach right down to the ground. Local communities, local politicians and local media have roles to play. We have seen this in studies of aid effectiveness, which is what I used to work on in the Oireachtas. The principles I have outlined should be applied at the local level in Ms McKenna's community and at our level in the Department. That is how we would view the matter.