Results 421-440 of 881 for speaker:Peter Power
- Diplomatic Representation. (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: Michael D. for ambassador.
- Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: Over the past decade Ireland's spending on Official Development Aid, ODA, has witnessed extraordinary growth. The figures speak for themselves. In 2000 our total contribution to ODA was â¬250 million - by 2008 this had grown to â¬918 million. At the start of the decade we contributed 0.3% of our GNP to ODA - last year we contributed 0.58%. By any measure this is an extraordinary success...
- Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: We share the concern expressed in the OECD report to the effect that these targets are more difficult to make in the current environment. We want to meet these targets and it is our ambition to do so. We have a goal towards which we are working. The question that arises relates to the precise mechanism to be used and the path to be followed in order that we might meet our aid commitments....
- Overseas Development Aid. (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: I cannot accept the Deputy's assertion. Ours is a firm commitment. He must remember that this commitment relates to a period of 12 to 15 years and that we are three years ahead of the European Union in this regard. The decisions we made over a period of nine months - which have been severe in their impact - must be considered in the context of our commitment being long-term in nature....
- 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,...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: The Government's aid programme, Irish Aid, provides assistance to over ninety developing countries. Nine have been designated as Programme Countries, with a commitment to long term strategic assistance. These are Tanzania, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Vietnam and Timor Leste. In 2009, the total programme budget for these countries will amount to almost â¬200...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 20, 24, 28, 46, 57 and 62 together. The total Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget for 2009 will be â¬696 million. â¬571 million will be administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, through Irish Aid, with the balance of â¬125 million being contributions to development co-operation by other Government Departments and through Ireland's...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in September 2008, where I was able to contribute to the EU Ministerial discussions on the Accra Agenda for Action. The High Level Forum and the Accra Agenda for Action have been effective in drawing renewed attention to the importance of improving aid delivery and giving value for money,...
- Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: Ireland has taken a consistently strong position within the EU on the complex range of issues involved in the negotiation of Economic Partnership Agreements with the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries. The negotiations are carried out by the European Commission, on behalf of the EU. Ireland has been one of a group of Member States which has ensured that the negotiations...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 67 together. I welcome this opportunity to clear up any misconceptions about emergency funding through the Government's official overseas development programme, Irish Aid. Emergency response by Irish Aid is provided by way of the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Fund (EHAF). The revised budgetary figure for EHAF is â¬56 million for 2009. This is a...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: The Report of the Government's Hunger Task Force (HTF), which was published in September 2008, recommended that Ireland can make a real contribution to tackling the root causes of hunger by increasing the productivity of smallholder farmers in Africa, by implementing programmes on maternal and infant under-nutrition and by ensuring that there is committed political action at national and...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 43 together. The overarching goal of the Government's aid programme, administered by Irish Aid, is the reduction of global poverty and hunger. Our partnership with development Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and missionaries represents a very important element of this effort, reflecting the broad support among the Irish people for the development...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (28 May 2009)
Peter Power: The Government aid programme, administered by Irish Aid, is supporting and is supported by over 1,300 long term development workers, volunteers and missionaries in the developing world. Their work is an important element in the overall Irish contribution to the reduction and eventual eradication of global poverty and hunger. The Government has directly supported the work of volunteers in...