As with other speakers, I record my concern about the humanitarian crisis in Burma. I agree with Senator David Norris who mentioned climate change and the fact that cyclones which have killed more than 22,000 people to date are clearly linked to the phenomenon of global warming. It is likely we will see such humanitarian crises recurring across the globe in the coming decades. 

The Lisbon treaty was mentioned and one of its provisions deals with the establishment of a European voluntary humanitarian aid corps. This will be a positive development which will develop the civilian capabilities and assets of the European Union as well as the military assets which are more familiar to most people. This will be a role which the European Union more than likely will be called upon to play on an increasingly regular basis in the future and which we should encourage people to support. 

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Order of Business, Seanad Speeches by Deirdre