Fiona O'Malley (Progressive Democrats)

It is important we achieve that.

It is through international travel that one gets to know more about these issues and this is an issue of which I am aware through the work of the all-party group. I support the work of the Irish Family Planning Association in this country and abroad. It is our duty as parliamentarians to see what is going on in the world. It is our duty to the Irish people that we know what the UNFPA is doing with Irish money. This is why I welcome visits on the part of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs or the all-party group on sexual and reproductive health, which has a good reputation for the work it has done, including, as noted by Senator Frances Fitzgerald, the great work done by its former chairperson, former Senator Mary Henry.

The Minister of State should not be deflated by groups who might seek to stop funding of a laudable issue. I wish him well in his continued efforts to achieve the success of the millennium development goals.