The first item on the agenda is the minutes of the previous meeting which were circulated with the agenda for this meeting. Are they agreed?
Business of Sub-Committee.
I wish to raise a number of points arising from the minutes of the previous meeting which I believe should be placed on the agenda again. We received a very good presentation — referred to as item No. 4 in the minutes — from David Donoghue and Frank Sheridan from Development Co-operation Ireland on the ODA programme. We expressed our concern about the fact that, at the current rate of progress, the target for ODA may not be reached in 2007. Since then, the OECD's development committee has described Ireland's progress towards its stated target of 0.7% in 2007 as "faltering". Meanwhile CORI's justice commission, among other bodies, has published a document which states we are stuck at a figure of 0.41%. If one considers the figures, it is clear that there is a crisis. I suggest that the matter of achieving the UN target should be put back on the agenda.
I wish to raise another matter which may be one for discussion by the joint committee. The sub-committee took a decision that it was interested in sending a delegation to Gaza.
It is listed in the minutes.
That is why I am raising it. We are probably going to go down the road of suggesting that we need to invite Uncle Tom Cobley and all to appear before the sub-committee before we take steps to implement that decision. For example, people will state we will have to invite the Israeli ambassador, the Americans and the other participants in the movement for peace. That will be a waste of time because it will bring us past the US election. I am moved by the fact that 87 Palestinian people, of whom 28 were under the age of 18 years and approximately six were over the age of 80 years, have been killed in Gaza in eight days. I am not prejudging our discussion but the violence in Gaza is continuing this morning. I propose that the sub-committee contact the joint committee and indicate that it wants to implement its decision to visit Gaza. In the event that anyone states there would be risks or dangers involved, as the convenor on our side, I am willing to travel to Gaza.
On the question of ODA, officials from the Department will be attending the joint committee's meeting on Tuesday next. Perhaps the Deputy could raise the issue at that stage. We will take up the question of travelling to Gaza with the joint committee.
I am not trying to be difficult. It is not acceptable that we should have an endless series of consultations, at the end of which another 50 people will be dead. I am aware that we will be advised that we will not be allowed to visit the areas in Gaza to which we wish to travel. However, not to be allowed to visit Gaza is a finding that would be appropriately made by a group. If we are going to do anything, we should do it now for it to be of most assistance.
I agree with Deputy Higgins that it is time to highlight what is happening in Gaza, particularly in the light of the impending presidential election in America. If we are to be of any use in this matter, now is the time to focus on it. We might stop the massacres taking place. As Deputy Higgins stated, 87 people, many of whom were only 13 or 14 years of age, have been killed. If we are to highlight this matter, now seems to be the time to do so.
I will ask the clerk to make inquiries about the matter.
I propose that the sub-committee should write to the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, to congratulate him on his appointment.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
The Minister of State has specific responsibility for ODA and we hope to have a good relationship with him.
Are the minutes agreed? Agreed.
There is one other matter. Members will recall that we had hoped to have a meeting with the advisory board of Development Co-operation Ireland before the recess. Provisional arrangements have now been made to meet the board on Thursday, 4 November. Is that agreed? Agreed. If there are no other matters arising, I will proceed to the second item on the agenda.