Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

Is mian liom fáilte a chur roimh na tuarascála seo. Is mian liom freisin tréaslú leis an Rialtas mar go bhfuil a leithéid againn agus seans againn na tuairimí atá nochtaithe ann a phlé agus ár dtuairimí féin a chur chun tosaigh. Tá an tuarascáil seo thar a bheith tábhachtach agus tá súil agam go mbeidh seans againn arís macnamh a dhéanamh uirthi. B'fhéidir go mbeidh seans eile againn í a phlé go réasúnta, rialta. Ní cóir dúinn stop a chur leis an díospóireacht seo. Ba chóir leanúint ar aghaidh leis, mar ní thagann stop riamh leis an ocras ar fud na cruinne.

Hunger, like war, has commercial aspects. Commercial bodies often benefit from war and hunger, and in many ways are responsible for their existence. It is ironic that on a day when we are discussing this document a survey was published that showed one-third of all food purchased ends up in the dustbin each day. When I throw away waste food, I have a pang of conscience. I speak for every person in that regard. One difficulty is that we do not know how to change and respond to it but we should try to salvage some of the food or save money we would otherwise have spent and provide for those in the world who are actually hungry.

I have no doubt about the Government's commitment to providing aid. The money it provides is exceptionally well spent. When the former Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, discussed this he referred to the controls in place to ensure that the money is properly spent. Much of the hunger is found in countries with some type of conflict, and often one cannot be sure that the money which is supplied will go to those for whom it is intended. There are cases where the money has gone back into the hands of despots and used for their own purposes. The Government has been cautious in this regard.

We must pay tribute to non-governmental organisations. They are at the coalface, and see the fire brigade action required on a daily basis. We all get letters in the post seeking subscriptions and contributions on a daily basis for a crisis which has arisen. The Irish people have been very generous in that regard.

It is frightening to consider the billions, if not trillions, spent on war by comparison with the amount spent on alleviating hunger in the world. It is amazing how money can be found by big powers at short notice. One example is the invasion of Iraq. There was no difficulty in finding the money at that time, and when Europe did not respond as quickly as America, which started the invasion, it had to endure insults because it wanted to hold back. It would be far better if diplomacy had been used in some of the places in the world with conflict, and the money saved donated to those who are hungry and dying of hunger.

Millions of people are dying of hunger; there could be thousands of people dying every second. We must have short-term alleviation. That is vital. Whatever difficulties we have with our economic downturn, I hope the aid we provide will not be diminished.

When the time comes history will judge mankind for all kinds of reasons. We will be judged because we stayed silent on an issue when we should have put our heads above the parapet. We will be judged on political expediency, because we felt we did not have the courage to stand up and say "Stop" on a given issue. Nowhere will the judgment of history be more severe than that we allowed a billion people to be hungry on a daily basis when there was so much wealth and food wasted in the world.

Ireland can act not only as a contributor but also as an honest broker. It was particularly interesting in recent days that the Irish Government could take such decisive pre-emptive action to deal with the financial situation. Everybody knows now how correct that was. Would it not be wonderful if, in addition to the contribution we are currently making to world aid, we were always prepared to stand in every forum in which this country is represented, in Europe and elsewhere, and make it the catch cry that hunger cannot be tolerated and that people must take a stand on the issue? Hopefully, the big powers at some stage will realise that the money spent on, for example, armaments and on propping up useless, superfluous political structures could be redirected once and for all.

It might be simplistic but I believe that if we had responded earlier to some of the difficulties that existed in the conflict flashpoints of the world, there would not have been the subsequent wars. What we now need is a reconditioning of our political approach to the difficulties when they arise. Big commercial bodies are capable of going into and exploiting the poorest countries on earth. There have been many such cases. If one can believe what one reads in the media, one oil company, which I will not name, has raped the economy of some of the most under-developed countries in the world. It has taken the wealth out of those countries to the point that the natives, when they confronted the company, were not just imprisoned but in some cases were executed for taking a stand. There must be more than lip service and a flow of verbal compassion. There must be a confrontation of the issue in all its forms.

A certain percentage of the money provided for aid must be used immediately to ensure the alleviation of hunger. I accept that other percentages must be allocated to enable people to develop crops, buy vehicles and do whatever else is necessary. However, a certain percentage must be allocated to alleviate hunger itself.

I welcome the report and I hope we will discuss it again. Some issues cannot be dealt with in a single day's discussion or in a single report. It should be an ongoing discussion. We must find ways to measure our input. We should engage with non-governmental organisations. In addition, we should be prepared to have the courage, even if we rattle cages, to talk on the bigger issues of conflict, exploitation of humanity and those issues commercially driving the terrible primitive conditions in which people find themselves.

I compliment Mr. Joe Walsh and the rest of the committee. On reading their names I was pleased to consider that people of such calibre and expertise are prepared to give their time. It was an intensive task and we owe them a debt of gratitude. Again, I compliment and congratulate the Government for setting up the task force and for ensuring that the contribution that has been made will continue and increase in the future.