Senators will not be shocked to learn that Liberia is one of the poorest country's in the world. An estimated 85% of its people live below the poverty line while the region has endured a tortuous civil war for the past 14 years. The former President, Mr. Charles Taylor, is now wanted for war crimes in Sierra Leone. We must question the motives of the Nigerian Government in giving asylum to this man, who has committed atrocious crimes. As part of the deal he has been let out of Liberia and allowed to remain in Nigeria, which I understand, but we must confront the fact that over 200,000 people have been killed in the past ten years alone in that region in very difficult circumstances. A total of 500,000 people have been displaced from their homes. I congratulate Concern on its work in Liberia. My brother-in-law is with Concern in Liberia at present and is due home shortly, after completing six months there. In the past few months I have received e-mails from him. It is harrowing to read about the difficult situation for people in that country. Many NGOs had to leave Liberia. Concern left but subsequently returned. Its members are extremely brave people. I pay tribute to the Concern personnel who have put so much time in recent months into helping the refugees who have left the villages, where there were appalling scenes of carnage, for Monrovia. Many brave young Irish men and women have gone to Liberia over the past six months and have stayed with the people, even during the most difficult period over the summer when the place was virtually ungovernable and there was no security or law and order.