Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I am delighted we are having this debate because many Members have called for one on development aid, or Irish Aid as the Minister of State called it. I thank him for his great work, the considerable enthusiasm he has shown for this issue and for producing the White Paper on which there was consultation, which is evident in the paper.

I agree with Senator Terry on the generosity of Irish people. The tsunami and hurricane Katrina were two examples of where much funding was made available. I refer to Irish people who have gone on their own or with small groups to countries in which there has been a disaster or where there is great need. Mr. Alan Kearns has been working in Zambia and the Minister of State knows of his work there. Mr. Jack McCann brings a medical team from Galway to Albania to provide medical aid there. The Friends of Chernobyl has also done great work. All these groups have received funding from the Department which is important because sometimes when we talk of non-governmental organisations, NGOs, perhaps we do not recognise the work individuals and small groups can do.

When reading the White Paper, I was conscious of the number of children who do not receive a basic education, the number of people who go to bed hungry and the thousands of people who die each day from preventable diseases. It is welcome that the Minister and the Government have finally said that we will reach the UN target of 0.7% of gross national product, GNP, by 2012. On current projections, the figure will be €1.5 billion. Even this year, €734 million will be spent on Irish Aid. I am delighted the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs will be known as the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Irish Aid. That is recognition of how important Irish Aid is in the committee system and the Department.

We have rightly placed a strong focus on Africa. The issue of human rights there is most important. I visited Tanzania some years ago with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and there has been a dramatic increase in primary education in that country. Foreign aid is important in increasing participation in primary education. Another country which the committee visited was Ethiopia where a new welfare system has been put in place which is helping the poorest people there get basic food and education.

As other speakers said, the issue of HIV-AIDS is important. An interparliamentary conference was held in Cape Town last May under the Austrian Presidency of the European Union. For the first time, members of parliaments in the EU and Africa came together. I was honoured to attend that conference and discussions between parliamentarians from both continents on the most effective way to deal with this issue were very worthwhile. We often talk about corruption in countries and people say we should not give aid to such countries but that conference was able to focus clearly on what parliamentarians in Africa could do.

Another interesting development was the work of the Government of Mozambique and the Clinton Foundation on HIV-AIDS in which Ireland was also involved. The Minister recently announced funding for Timor-Leste to deal with the aftermath of the crisis there. Eastern Europe is another area which has been dealt with but the focus is always on Africa and Timor-Leste.

The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs discussed Darfur yesterday. It is tragic that so many people have lost their lives as an indirect result of the conflict there and that more than 2 million people have been displaced from their homes and livelihoods. I hope we can apply more pressure in that regard. As one of my colleagues, Deputy Carey, suggested, we should at least have debates in both Houses to ensure the deployment of a UN force and to show clearly the opposition of the Irish people to the conflict in that region which has resulted in terrible loss of life.

An issue which I raised at yesterday's meeting and about which I am very concerned is the safety and welfare of NGOs operating in Darfur. Mr. Rory Montgomery and his staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs said that 12 NGO staff working in that region have died. Organisations such as Concern, Trócaire and GOAL do great work there but it was clearly pointed out that they have had to leave some areas because of the difficulties. I hope the Minister of State might be able to address some of those issues, for example, the safety of personnel there and whether we can get a positive reaction from President al-Bashir, who seems continually to refuse any deployment of UN peacekeeping troops in Darfur.

The position of women in Darfur has been extremely difficult. There has been violence and abuse of women, and children have also suffered difficulties. It amounts to a major issue that the international community must address. We are obviously improving flows of humanitarian assistance and wish to see a proper peace agreement, since previous initiatives have not been lived up to. I hope that when the Minister of State replies, he might address some of those issues. I congratulate him on his work.

It is both useful and welcome to debate the White Paper, and perhaps we might do the same regarding Darfur. While that is perhaps more of a matter for ourselves to decide, I record my hope that it will happen soon.