Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the implications for food security and indigenous rights of the current wave of land purchases in Africa by foreign governments and multinational corporations. [31726/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I can read the reply into the record but Question Time will have concluded by the time I finish. I do not know if it is in accordance with Standing Orders to take it as read. I would be happy to take supplementary questions from Deputy Michael D. Higgins.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Is that agreed?

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Yes.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Agreed.

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The reply will be included in the Official Report.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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My reason for tabling this question is that in a number of countries, including some of our partner countries, thousands of acres have been purchased by countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and others on the basis of there being a global food shortage. That will entirely disrupt native agriculture.

I refer to the rights of indigenous producers. The Minister of State said conflicts in Africa are being resource based in so far as migrants are returning from cities and elites in different governments, including some of our receiving governments, are negotiating with multinationals on the basis of land titles.

The Minister of State is aware of my academic views on this but my net point is that the notion of the so-called establishment of titles to land is being used as a Trojan horse which will have the effect of quenching any prospect for women, who have no rights in agricultural production, quenching the rights of people who are, for example, returned migrants from the cities and of provoking, as it has, loss of life and conflict, most recently in Kampala in Uganda where there are disputes in regard to land titles.

Can I take it that Irish Aid and others will look at indigenous rights and new indigenous models of conveyancing land title which will serve the indigenous people rather than multinationals?

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I very much welcome this question. I am aware of the reports which underpin the question, namely, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, reports and the Institute for Environment Development report issued earlier this year. They estimate that 2.5 million hectares of land have been bought by other countries.

We need to make a distinction in terms of the motivation behind the purchase of these lands and acknowledge the difficulties which may arise from that while looking at the possibility and potential that arises from this investment. One must remember that what really unlocked the potential of this country was foreign direct investment. If managed properly and in partnership with our priority countries-----

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Not with absentee landlords.

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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-----but not with absentee landlords or multinationals corporations, which would be the modern analogy, there is a potential for a win-win situation.

Foreign direct investment, if managed in a transparent way and in partnership with local communities and respecting local traditions and land rights, as the Deputy correctly pointed out, is quite possibly a real tool for development. Ireland benefited enormously from foreign direct investment. The arguments now being correctly put forward and the fears and concerns being raised were also raised when major foreign direct investment began to take place in this country. There was a question as to whether we would be taken over by foreign multinationals. Our experience on the whole has been very welcome.

I do not believe it to be the Trojan horse the Deputy portrays but I understand there are certain possibilities of exploitation contained in that Trojan horse.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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A number of third level institutions have been seduced into accepting the de Soto model which effectively led to the destruction of indigenous economy in Mexico. It is used as the prototype land title model. If it is introduced in Africa, it will be as destructive there as it was in Mexico, which is denied by people like Professor de Soto.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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We will take the question as rhetorical.

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I accept the point.