Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 73 together.

The programme of strategic co-operation between Irish Aid and higher education and research institutes, launched in 2006, facilitates high quality research to support Irish Aid's poverty reduction mission. The programme is implemented by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of Irish Aid. This includes the administration and monitoring of funding.

To date 15 project awards totalling €12.1 million have been approved for higher education institutions under the programme. Of this amount, €5.9 million has so far been paid from the official development assistance budget to the Higher Education Authority for disbursement to participating institutions.

The programme has established several collaborative research partnerships between higher education institutions in Ireland and Africa since 2007. The nine universities on the island of Ireland, as well as the Dundalk Institute of Technology and the Dublin Institute of Technology, are now working in partnership with a range of higher education institutions in countries in Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia.

All research undertaken in the programme has a strong focus on the priority areas for the Government's aid programme. These include health, HIV and AIDS, food and livelihood security, education, gender and good governance. Specific research projects initiated under the programme focus on educational assessment and special needs, the strengthening of health systems, gender and HIV and AIDS, sustainable rural development, and conflict resolution. The research projects undertaken under the programme are due be completed between 2011 and 2013. The initial outputs will be assessed in a mid-term evaluation of the programme, which will be carried out next year.

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