Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

Regarding capacity issues generally, we will spend much more money in the expanded aid programme on scholarships and fellowships in particular. This year we hope to double the number of people on our scholarship programmes from 60 to 120. Similar to the situation that pertains to AIDS funding, I do not see it stopping there. I do not see the €50 million we doubled to €100 million this year stopping at that. I can see us perhaps quadrupling the level of money we give on AIDS between now and 2012. We would have to do so if the international community does not make a determined effort to halt the spread of this disease.

In terms of the Higher Education Authority and the third-level sector generally, I had a large number of meetings within the past year with representatives of the various universities, including the President of Deputy Higgins' university. They are putting forward some exciting proposals on involving our academic and third level institutions in the programme countries. I hope to be able to make a number of announcements on that by the end of the year. The universities are dynamic in this engagement with the developing world. The local authority in my area, South Dublin County Council, is involved with one of our programme countries, Ethiopia. We are not funding this work heavily but town planners are helping with town planning in Ethiopia. As a challenge to Members I welcome similar proposals from any local authority. Like hospitals and third level institutions, local authorities have an enormous range of skills which we want to bring into our developing aid programme so that the maximum number of Irish people and the great institutions we have built here can play a role.

See this speech in context