Results 661-680 of 881 for speaker:Peter Power
- Debt Relief. (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I agree fully with Deputy Higgins on this issue. Vulture debt is an odious practice and I would welcome any initiative to make this internationally illegal. Debt vulture hedge funds or other funds involved in buying debt on the verge or eve of it being forgiven as part of international debt alleviation is a reprehensible practice. In essence it represents funds in the major financial...
- Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: Will the Deputy listen in silence?
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 78 together. The Government is committed to giving effect to the recommendations of the Report of the Hunger Task Force, which it commissioned and which was launched by the Taoiseach at the United Nations in New York in September 2008 in the presence of the UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon. In particular, we are concentrating on the three specific...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: The Government provides assistance through the aid programme to over ninety countries worldwide. Nine have been designated as Programme Countries, where we have a commitment to long term strategic assistance. These are Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam and Timor Leste. The development objectives for each of the Programme Countries are outlined in agreed...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: The Government's White Paper on Irish Aid recognises that education is an important driver of poverty reduction and is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalised adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty. Support to education has always been a key component of our aid programme. In 2008, Irish Aid expenditure on education amounted to over â¬83 million....
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 60 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the Government has, in the Budget for 2010, provided a total allocation for Official Development Assistance (ODA) of â¬671 million. â¬536 million will be administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, while a further estimated â¬135 million will come from other Government Departments and Ireland's share...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: According to recent UN figures over 33 million people are living with HIV, with approximately 2.5 million becoming newly infected and over 2 million people dying of AIDS related illnesses annually. Sub-Saharan Africa, where Ireland's development work is predominantly focused, continues to be the most severely affected region in the world and is home to over 22 million people living with HIV...
- Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: Uganda is one of the nine Programme Countries where Ireland has a commitment to long term strategic assistance. An important aspect of our programme of support for Uganda is a focus on good governance and respect for human rights. I am very concerned about the implications of the Private Members Bill which was tabled in the Ugandan Parliament in October, which is described by its proponents...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: The Government's partnership with development Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and missionaries represents a very important element of the development cooperation programme administered by Irish Aid. It reflects the consistently high level of commitment demonstrated by the Irish people over the years towards helping the world's poorest people. The OECD has confirmed that Ireland channels...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: Building good governance is central to the work of Irish Aid across our development programme. Without good governance, long-term sustainable development is not possible. We are promoting governance by supporting the building of more democratic systems of government, and effective, accountable institutions for service delivery. Strengthening the protection of human rights and the rule of law...
- Written Answers — HIV Infection: HIV Infection (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: Recent data from the UNAIDS World Report for 2008 demonstrates that the global HIV prevalence in most southern African countries is either approaching, or has reached, a plateau and that death rates are declining. More than 4 million people are now on effective anti-retroviral treatment. This is an enormous achievement in a relatively short period of time and Ireland has played an important...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263, 266 and 267 together. For 2010, the Government has provided a total allocation for Official Development Assistance (ODA) of â¬671 million. Of this allocation â¬536 million will be administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and a further estimated â¬135 million will come from other Government Departments and Ireland's share of the EU Development...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (15 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: In 2005, the leaders of the G8 countries, at their Summit in Gleneagles, agreed to establish the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI), with a focus on the cancellation of the heavy debt burden on developing countries. It was intended to supplement the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative which was launched in 1996 to reduce the debt burden of qualifying countries to...
- Order of Business (16 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: That is last week's business.
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (16 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. The Government's preparations for participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen have involved extensive consultation and coordination between a number of Ministers and Departments. The Government is represented at the Conference by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The...
- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission came into being on 1 January 2004. The commission is composed of 11 members under the chairmanship of the Ceann Comhairle. The Cathaoirleach of the Seanad is an ex officio member, as is the Clerk of the Dail, who also has the title of Secretary General of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas....
- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I have always believed that. I also accepted important amendments tabled by Senator O'Toole which I recognised in my Second Stage concluding speech.
- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: I accepted more amendments in that House than I did in this.
- Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: With the exception of the last comment, I agree with much of what Deputy Connaughton says. We have had a very good debate. The introduction of this Bill gives Members of the House an opportunity to discuss the way in which this House and our wider democracy work. We were fortunate to have very constructive comments by members of the committee, from Deputies Pat Rabbitte, Dan Neville and...
- Committee and Remaining Stage (17 Dec 2009)
Peter Power: Before we continue proceedings I would be obliged if, in accordance with Standing Order 136, the Ceann Comhairle would direct the Clerk of the Dáil to make a change to the Bill, pursuant to that particular Order. The correction is: on page 10 of the Bill, on line 27, to move the comma that appears after the word "by", where it occurs for the second time, and place it at the end of that...