Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Last year, I asked the Minister whether he would meet Christian Aid and people like Mr. Jim Clarkin, CEO of Oxfam Ireland, and Mr. Sorley McCaughey, who is involved in writing materials on, and is part of many international networks dealing with, the issues in question.

6 o’clock

I understand some officials from the Department and possibly the Revenue Commissioners met people from Christian Aid. It is quite important that the Minister meets them. Ireland is currently on a long campaign to gain a seat at the UN. We have done that successfully in the past, partly because our contribution to the developing world, in terms of development aid, has been very significant in money terms, as have the contributions of Irish people through the decades, including missionaries from Ireland in earlier decades.

In the context of their legacy, I ask the Minister to meet Christian Aid. He is meeting bankers and everybody who represents the other side of the argument. What would be wrong with meeting the authors of these reports? I would like a commitment from the Minister on that, if possible.

See this speech in context