Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

With regard to the question of the chair, it was not a matter that had been abandoned. Considerable work had been done by Deputy O'Dea in many areas regarding this issue, and I will not go back to the start but will benefit from that work.

On all sides of the House, we agree that the International Red Cross and, by extension, the Irish Red Cross has a particularly positive standing and has enormous potential which it has realised almost all of the time, notwithstanding the difficulties it has faced. In so far as we can facilitate or help to ensure that this continues to be the case, it is incumbent on all of us, particularly on myself, as Minister, to try to get to that point.

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