Results 4,941-4,960 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: In keeping with the commitment in the programme for Government, over the coming months I plan to explore options for the establishment of a civilian corps which could allow some jobseekers to use and share their skills in developing countries while retaining some jobseeker's benefit. Support for volunteering has always been strong in Ireland. Much of the achievement and the strong...

Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not mind whether the Deputy calls it the jobs budget or jobs initiative. I welcome his support for this proposal. In reply to his earlier question, I have begun to consult and have met the board of Dóchas, an umbrella organisation for all the various bodies, to discuss how this might work. I also met Trócaire and I plan to meet within the next few weeks the various other...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: In 2011, Ireland's total contribution to Official Development Assistance (ODA) will amount to €669 million. It is estimated that €534 million of this funding will be administered by Irish Aid, in the Department of Foreign Affairs, which manages the Government's aid programme. Some €135 million is accounted for by contributions of other Government Departments and by Ireland's share of...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed by world leaders at the United Nations in 2000 as the framework for international development policy up to 2015. They provide a clearly measurable way to track progress in the fight against global poverty. The Goals are central to Ireland's overseas development programme, and to the Government's development policy. Last September, the MDG...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: One of the most important international meetings on development issues this year will be the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, to be held in Busan, in the Republic of Korea, in November. The Forum will represent a milestone in the international effort to judge the quality of development assistance and its contribution to social and economic progress in developing countries. The...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: Climate change has been described by the UN Secretary General as the greatest humanitarian challenge facing the world today. It is clear that the communities which are being most severely affected by climate change are those in the world's poorest countries. The impact of climate change is contributing to a growing incidence of humanitarian disasters, and to increased poverty, food...

Written Answers — Rapid Response Corps: Rapid Response Corps (21 Apr 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Rapid Response Corps was established in 2007 to provide a body of skilled and experienced volunteers for deployment at short notice to work with Irish Aid's humanitarian partner organisations in emergency situations overseas. One of the important lessons learned from the international response to the devastation of the 2004 Tsunami was that the mass deployment of volunteers, while...

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: Does the Deputy expect us to do it all in six weeks?

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: Absolute rubbish.

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: Will Deputy Tóibín tell us where to get the money for this investment?

EU-IMF Programme: Statements (4 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: We did.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Question relates to superannuation arrangements for a person who volunteered overseas with an Irish non-governmental organisation (NGO) for two periods in the 1980s. The person involved has discussed the situation with officials in my Department who contacted the NGO on her behalf to clarify the position. The organisation concerned has informed my Department that it has no records to...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (17 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government of Malawi expelled the British High Commissioner to Malawi on 26 April 2011, following the alleged leaking of a diplomatic report. We have condemned this decision along with our EU partners, as have Churches and Non-Governmental Organisations in Malawi. Malawi has been a priority country for Ireland's aid programme since 2006, with a commitment to long-term strategic...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (18 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: Ireland is playing a strong role in international development, building on the efforts and contributions of individual Irish people and organisations and the effectiveness of the Government's aid programme. The Government is committed to the target of spending 0.7% of GNP on Official Development Assistance (ODA), and to seeking to achieve this by 2015. We recognise that ODA alone cannot...

Passport Applications (31 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising the issue. I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Gilmore. I hope I will be able to assure the Deputy that we are taking action in the Department. There are currently 51,628 passport applications in the system being processed across the Passport Offices in Molesworth Street, Balbriggan, Cork and London. The...

Passport Applications (31 May 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: I will certainly pass on that suggestion to the Minister.

Diplomatic Representation (2 Jun 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: Following a Government decision on 24 May, the transfer of trade promotion functions from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to the Department of Foreign Affairs took place yesterday. The transfer gives my Department the lead role in trade promotion. The transfer of functions will, on a practical level, give my Department responsibility for the management of the export trade...

Diplomatic Representation (2 Jun 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: I welcome the Deputy's support. There will be more trade missions and they will be announced as they arise. I assure the Deputy there will be an export trade council under the aegis of my Department and it will be chaired by the Minister. It will have some of the characteristics of the foreign trade council that was under the aegis of the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation. The...

Diplomatic Representation (2 Jun 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: There will be close co-operation between the two Departments. There will be a service level agreement with Enterprise Ireland and my Department will have a working relationship with all the agencies. The EU Commission has competency for multilateral negotiations and, therefore, the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation will engage in that aspect of the trade brief. Promotion will...

Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2011)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree with the Deputy Mac Lochlainn that Ireland has consistently supported the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. A meeting is scheduled for next week with Mr. Christopher Ross in New York. Ireland will continue, through the dialogue the Deputy described, to support the ongoing process. There is a blockage at present with regard to a referendum on...