Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State and it is good that the Minister with responsibility for overseas development aid is taking it. That is an endorsement of the work we are trying to do in the House.

The Government has been proactive on international aid for many years and the people, going back generations, have willingly assisted people in the Third World and in other distressed. Many missionaries and lay people have travelled all over the world to help. This can never be quantified but it is heartening that, in spite of our economic difficulties, the State is still allocating 0.5% of GNP for overseas project. I acknowledge the goal is 0.7% of GNP but, hopefully, if buoyancy returns to the economy, we may achieve that by 2015.

My concern for a long time is that Ireland has signed up to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Under this, we must embrace the issue of equality for people with disabilities not only at home but overseas as well. As a country that is doing well overall, in spite of our difficulties, we have a responsibility to ensure the ethos of the convention is implemented domestically and in Third World countries. People with disabilities are more likely to enter poverty quickly and those who are poor are more likely to end with a disability through malnutrition and various other difficulties. I call on the Minister of State to examine in the upcoming White Paper on overseas aid the possibility of ring-fencing a greater percentage of our funding to ensure people with disabilities in the Third World benefit from the generosity of the Government and the Irish people and to ensure NGOs working aboard using State aid build into their programmes projects for people with disabilities that promote equality and ensure the human rights of those with disabilities are protected.

Ireland has a good human rights record. Dr. Maurice Manning attended the House last week for an excellent debate in this regard. I do not seek an increase in the overall funding for overseas development aid because the country cannot afford it but I am seeking that the percentage of the current budget spent on projects for people with disabilities be increased. The public consultation process relating to the White Paper will take place early next year. I hope groups will make submissions and embrace the process and, ultimately, there will be a stronger, tighter and more concise structure to ensure what I am looking for is incorporated in the White Paper. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.