Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I hugely support volunteerism at home and abroad. All our main NGOs constantly seek volunteers and leave arrangements are made for those who travel. I would broadly support examining anything that helps in this regard. In principle, without examining the practicality, I favour anything that encourages people and makes it easier for them to provide their expertise for a period abroad. A number of arrangements are in place whereby people can get leave, particularly if there is a famine or epidemic. Members of the Defence Forces Reserve might be interested in travelling too. I referred to Darfur in my original reply, where there are major humanitarian issues and the UN is stretched. The organisation wants to move forward. Kofi Annan pressed me to engage the Irish Army in Darfur to give a lead to other countries. However, while we could do that, it is only a few months since he asked me to retain the mission in Liberia but the Army wanted to finish there. Next year, if we can find an alternative arrangement for Liberia, we can look to Darfur.

It is a major life experience for people to serve on these missions. The State should do everything it can to give people that professional experience. Many voluntary groups have pulled together. For example, the Tracy Piggot Sports Group and Niall Mellon bring people together to travel to Africa, separate from the NGOs, and they should be facilitated. They do an amount of good for the communities involved but they also find it to be a significant experience. Mr. Kader Asmal paid me a courtesy call a few weeks back and he said that stories of the Irish doing this work receives huge coverage and attention, mainly because very few other countries do it, which is surprising. We will do whatever we can to facilitate that type of effort. The Minister for Defence has been listening here and he said he will examine the Deputy's suggestion.

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