Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The important matter emphasised when I met many African organisations while I was there, is the provision of drugs. A great deal of progress is being made on that, but not enough. The drug companies should be prepared to put in enormous amounts. It would be good for them, would not cost them a great deal and they would receive support for that. Drugs can have major and quick success. It could change things in a four or five year period. That is the biggest effort to be made.

In our case, we increased from €30 million to €100 million per year, which is substantial. Regarding the point I made earlier to Deputy Gormley, other countries must also make the effort. If everyone even doubled the amount given — we trebled it — it would provide the ability to obtain large quantities of drugs. The network is fairly good in most countries, perhaps not in all, but in Mozambique the network is good. One can easily distribute drugs.

The point made by Deputy Michael Higgins on orphans refers to a huge problem. Lesotho, a small country where we have taken a lead role for 25 years as I know Deputy Higgins is well aware, has stabilised its political system and the Government is now in control. Its Prime Minister came here one or two years ago and our President visited there. We have a very good relationship. However, the situation regarding the orphans in rural communities has not greatly improved. Only a small percentage of adults are there now. They have been wiped out from the mountains and farms which creates a huge problem for the future. In half of the families, the lead person is under 18 years of age. Older brothers and sisters now lead families. That creates huge problems. People have no education because once they are 15 years old they must work.

Last September there was a meeting on the review of the millennium goals. Kofi Annan set out in his report what is to be done by everybody. It is a question of whether the large countries in particular will give. There was some success last year through the G8 meeting and the work of Bono, Geldof and other lobbies last year. It will be interesting to see whether those commitments will be delivered. I am not sure they will. However, at least there is a blueprint to try to make people deliver.

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