Ms Jane-Ann McKenna:

I might address the question around percentage GNI and some of the Ukraine costs. I will hand over to Ms Ní Chéilleachair regarding Ireland's place in the world in light of the forum later this week.

We have just produced an estimation, based on what we know of overseas development aid expenditure for 2023, of what it would take to bring us to 0.7% in 2030 in a reasonable way. A figure of €305 million is a significant amount of money. In any of the budgetary discussions, we are looking for a considerable amount of additional expenditure, but as we have outlined, there are significant humanitarian and other needs to which this country is committed to responding and we have committed to 0.7% by 2030. That is an estimation of approximately what would bring us to 0.44%. We are at 0.4% for 2023 and that would bring us to 0.44% looking at it from a step-by-step basis to bring us to 2030.

Regarding the costs associated with the Ukraine war, as part of the OECD development assistance committee, DAC, you can include in-country refugee costs for the first year. That has brought Ireland's overseas development aid up to 0.64%. We know the expenditure on Ukrainian refugees in particular has created that increase from 0.4% to 0.64%, and that is why we went with 0.4% to say that, in terms of overseas development aid that is spent overseas that reaches some of the most fragile contexts in the world, that is how we are modelling what we need to achieve. It is really important there are ongoing meetings that colleagues are attending in Paris around the OECD DAC. They stated that refugee costs were never intended to be a major part of overseas development aid. They were allowed to encourage shared responsibility in terms of taking refugees. This is why it is important that when we look at expenditure, it is used for those who are the poorest and most vulnerable communities. All of us in civil society really welcome Ireland's response to Ukrainian refugees. We have taken a very principled stance and the Irish Government has shown extreme leadership. We do not see it as an either-or but we believe that when we look at our overseas development aid and how we want to increase it, we should ensure we showcase that commitment to 0.7% and spend that money overseas as much as possible.

I will hand over to Ms Ní Chéilleachair regarding Ireland's role in the world.