Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I find this extraordinary. The Minister of State will be aware that the issues of Irish aid and allegations about Ethiopia were discussed yesterday at a meeting of the Joint Committee on European Affairs. I agree with the Minister of State and Deputy Higgins that the EU must not alone condemn this but should put in place systems that will not allow this to happen in the European Union or any associate country with which we have a relationship. It is indefensible that ordinary people are being ripped off by dictators. These people cannot live in peace but must engage in an uprising at considerable loss of life in order to do so. As a civilised society, we must towards that situation.

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