Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In some instances, there are concerns around how one distributes the money. In these particular countries, we are talking about going to the NGOs or collaboration with the UN and NGOs, such as the Red Cross. We also must ensure that money does not go through government, so transparency must also be to the fore. We have to build the capacity at local level. The NGOs are at the forefront there with their ideas and I am very conscious that one cannot separate humanitarian work from development work as they are interlinked. It is about keeping a focus on the development also.

I will cite as an example one NGO in Eritrea called Vita, which works in partnership with the Irish State agency Teagasc, and I have met the Eritrean Minister for Agriculture. It is working on irrigation schemes and on dairy and potato issues. This is an example of capacity building at local level where we can work directly with communities under the directorship of NGOs on the ground. It is important that we still focus on the important elements, including capacity building at a local level, irrespective of the major challenges inherent at a human rights level. If development funding is going into an area, then we must stay focused on the human rights which has to be an overall objective.

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