Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

I wish we could switch the Minister of State on and off to keep him to some time limits so we can get a word in edgeways. I reassure the Minister of State that we did not berate him but his Taoiseach who made the promise in the United Nations in 2000 that he would reach 0.7% in 2007, which has resulted in the hungry and needy having to wait a further five years. I agree we should enshrine this in legislation.

The missionaries, lay and religious, sacrificed a great deal many years ago to work in these countries but now that they have returned their existence depends on charity. Has the Minister of State turned his attention to the wishes of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs which met representatives of those missionaries? Has he addressed the issue of providing some remuneration for those people in their latter days?

See this speech in context