Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister of State for her response. From a previous discussion, I know she has been focusing on this issue.

I commend the work of the non-governmental organisations in co-ordinating an emergency response to this extremely serious crisis as it develops. The Minister of State will share my concern arising from criticism made of providing direct aid to governments over the years and the impact this approach may have had. While I do not attribute abuse and corruption to Ethiopia or Uganda, there has been clear evidence that many of the governments which have received direct aid have been responsible for abuse and corruption. Such criticism does not apply to aid being provided to NGOs, which have done tremendous work.

Will the Minister of State consider diverting funds to establishing a programme to resuscitate abandoned bore holes using the expertise of some of the many construction workers on the live register who have worked on bore holes? Could we think outside the box, perhaps by working in partnership with the non-governmental organisations which, as the Minister of State noted, are already doing some work in this area? It strikes me that we must be able to make a more constructive, planned and thoughtful contribution than simply channelling money through governments. I ask the Minister of State to consider such a response in co-operation with the NGOs.

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