Results 421-440 of 881 for speaker:Peter Power

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: I congratulate the new Deputies, Maureen O'Sullivan and George Lee, and I wish them well in their important work. I listened very intently to Deputy George Lee this morning. He spoke at great length about the difference between the current economic situation and the situation we were in during the 1980s. He is right in many respects, for example, in what he said about the difference...

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: My analysis is-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: My analysis is that the economic stagnation that was caused in that five year period was solely and simply down to the inability of the two parties during that time to agree on practically anything.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: Deputy Durkan does not want to hear the truth.

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: That Government could not agree on taxation-----

Confidence in Government: Motion (resumed) (10 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: He did not want to hear what I had to say. That Government did not agree on taxation, spending, issues of privatisation or banking. Due to its inaction and the singular inability of that Government in the 1980s to agree on practically anything, our country stagnated for five years. That is not my view, it is the common historical economic consensus of what happened in the 1980s.

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (9 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: Although the conflict in Sri Lanka has ended, significant humanitarian needs and challenges remain. Almost 300,000 people are now in camps for the displaced, many in very difficult circumstances. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has stated that, in principle, it now has access to all such camps. However, despite the best efforts of the ICRC and other humanitarian...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (9 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: In 2008, the Government spent €918 million on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Of this total, €768 million was administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, through Irish Aid. The remaining €150 million was administered by other Government Departments, primarily for Ireland's allocation of the EU Development Cooperation budget, contributions by the Department of Finance to...

Confidence in Government: Motion (9 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: I have not heard them yet.

Confidence in Government: Motion (9 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: Send them on to us sometime.

Confidence in Government: Motion (9 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: Where would Deputy Kenny get the money?

Confidence in Government: Motion (9 Jun 2009)

Peter Power: It is reckless.

Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: Ireland's aid programme, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs through Irish Aid, has an international reputation for its quality and its effectiveness. As recently as the beginning of this month it has had that reputation validated once again by the OECD development assistance committee, which has commended the programme as "cutting edge" and indicated that "Ireland is a...

Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: The question did not mention corruption and focused on the feasibility and appropriateness of adopting one country. The supplementary question referred to corruption, which is a very different, although important, issue. The question of whether we can deliver aid effectively by adopting a country is one I do not agree with. If it is brought to a logical conclusion, it would mean that every...

Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: I agree with Deputy Higgins that it is not a widely held view, but is in fact a unique one, among the development community which does not stack up when analysed carefully. A recipient country's ownership of its programme is another aspect. Modern accepted development standards suggest a government of a developing country should own its programme and, with the help of the donor countries,...

Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: I have given my considered response to this.

Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: The proposal has been considered by international aid effectiveness bodies, not least the OECD. The common consensus is that this would not be an effective way of delivering aid. Only last month the OECD, which reviewed the Irish programme that concentrates on nine countries, said it is the most effective way of delivering aid. It is not that we are not open to other ideas. However, any...

Third Level Funding. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: 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...

Third Level Funding. (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: I will take up the Deputy's offer in forgoing the latter part of his question as it is a separate area for the Department of Education and Science. Regarding special governance units, I refer the Deputy to today's Parliamentary Question No. 12. A team has been established to take account of the linkages between good governance and the other cross-cutting issues in the delivery of the aid...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)

Peter Power: The White Paper on Irish Aid recommended the establishment of a Governance Unit tasked with ensuring that governance and corruption issues are taken into account across the work of the programme. I am happy to report that work is being completed on the development of Good Governance Guidelines which set out a framework to guide our overall approach to this area. In line with the White Paper,...