Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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Deputy Carthy and I met a member of World Vision or Christian Aid a couple of weeks ago in Buswells Hotel. She spoke to us about the ratio of debt developing countries have to pay to the IMF. It is frightening. While the witnesses' presentations today were very good, they leave you feeling a bit hopeless at times. The portion of debt these countries have to pay to the IMF is appalling. It has to be said that, rather than paying bills, these countries should be writing invoices for Europe, North America and the other countries that have exploited these countries for so long.

It was mentioned that farmers in Kenya are looking for education for their children. That is all well and good, but even educated people need to be fed. Will the witnesses talk to us about that as well?

I was listening to the radio this morning. I heard much talk in the past 24 hours about five very wealthy people who are stuck in a submarine off the coast of Newfoundland. Five lives are five lives. I have nothing against people who are rich spending their money in whatever way they want. However, 750 people drowned in the Mediterranean last week. I have heard more about the five people in the submarine in the past 24 hours than I have about the people who are dead. Today is Refugee Day. We should remember that.

I lived abroad for a number of years. There is no place like home. When the matter hits the fan, people want to go home. The matter is certainly hitting the fan in many developing countries. It is important that we give support to these countries because everybody wants to stay at home. People want to go abroad, but, ultimately, however, they love their home countries. Nobody wants to get onto a boat. We should all remember that many of the people in the refugee centres with whom the witnesses are working could never find the money to get on one of these boats. It is always the people with money that at least get a chance. So many of them drown but at least they get that chance. It is important that we make developing countries liveable. People deserve to make their homes good.

I feel strongly about that when we talk about the brain drain as it is called, taking trained nurses from the Philippines and bringing them over here to look after our people. We have so much to do. Before I came to this meeting, I was at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action. What happened in the Horn of Africa last year was appalling. I am glad to hear that things have improved somewhat. I spoke to the Ambassador of Kenya a couple of weeks ago. It is good that efforts are being made. Will the witnesses talk about farmers? Africa still needs farmers. Not everyone can be educated. People still need to produce food. It was mentioned about Uganda, which has a huge lake beside it. Irrigation is possible there if we could get that water around that country. We should look to support that financially. I will leave it at that.