Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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The Minister of State's comments have triggered a few points for me too so I will run through them quickly, since I only have two minutes. Obviously matters relating to the EU-Israel trade agreement are all concerning, but in the Irish Presidency, I would like to prioritise how we ever give credibility back to any trade agreement with the EU and another bilateral country. I feel like Israel's impunity and the fact that we are only reviewing it rather than suspending it, and that we have not done it sooner, puts into question any future human rights clauses in trade agreements. I know one is under discussion in India, where there are also many challenges to human rights. We need to figure out how we can put back the credibility and faith that that means something for the countries in which we are opening new trade routes. The Minister of State talked about Gaza and Irish people having left the country. Is any discussion or work being done to try to get Irish and EU non-governmental organisation humanitarian staff who wish to re-enter the country for humanitarian reasons back in. Healthcare workers were presenting to us last week about that issue. Many were dying to get back into the country but they have not been able to.

The Minister of State spoke a lot about HIV. Ireland might play a role in making sure that pharmaceutical supply chains remain open, that access to affordable generics continues and that countries in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere have the ability to pay for them themselves. We talked about audits and compliance. When we are talking about the locally-led approach, often our compliance in audits is exclusionary to local organisations. Obviously the end goal in development is that we do not have third-party Irish or European charities, in the long term, and that it is all locally led. I know there is a difficulty in our compliance standards. I understand why they are there and that they have to be there, so that we ensure financial safeguarding and safeguarding of individuals is in place. What steps can be taken to allow greater access for local organisations directly to Irish and EU funding?