Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister's reply as regards the amount of funding the Irish Government has given to Kenya over a number of years, in particular the €1 million given in recent times. We are well aware of Irish development agencies working in Kenya, such Goal and Trócaire and of course the many Irish missionaries there. I believe every parish could name someone working in Kenya, whether as a nun or priest. I know a Fr. Martin Keane, who works there.

While doing research on this question before coming to the Chamber, I came across a clip from Youtube. It showed the difficulties the Red Cross has in distributing food in Kenya, particularly with the widespread roadblocks and the numbers of people displaced. It reported 1,000 people being killed, 300,000 displaced from their homes etc. I wonder whether the Irish missionaries or agencies working in Kenya have experienced any of that. Are any of our missionaries in danger, particularly those who might be working in the Rift Valley?

See this speech in context