Results 941-960 of 11,433 for speaker:Michael Kitt

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (3 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Moores Rowland audit report for the Zambia Programme Office for the year ended 31 December 2006 delivered an unqualified audit opinion. The internal control/ management letter report was very positive with regard to the operation of Irish Aid's financial procedures at the Mission. A number of recommendations, aimed at strengthening minor system weaknesses in the Mission, have been...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (3 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are trade agreements currently being negotiated between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states. The mandate for the negotiation of EPAs comes from the legally-binding Cotonou Agreement, the central objective of which is that of "reducing and eventually eradicating poverty, consistent with the objectives of...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (3 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: Irish Aid has in place rigorous accounting and audit controls. Audits of the Irish Aid programme are undertaken on the basis of a three-year rolling work plan, managed by the Evaluation and Audit Unit, with clear priority being given to the audit of expenditure in programme countries. During 2006 and 2007 eight visits took place to programme countries covering a range of aspects of the audit...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (3 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 105 to 108, inclusive, together. The work programme of the Evaluation and Audit Unit is primarily focused on providing assurance with regard to monies already spent by Irish Aid in recipient countries. I would emphasise also that Irish Aid has in place robust systems for oversight and control of spending that commence before funding is even committed....

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (3 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: Irish Aid has seven internal auditors based at its missions abroad. The locations in question are Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia (Lusaka), Zambia (Northern Province) and Lesotho.

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (8 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: The reports to which the Deputy refers relate to internal audit work by the Evaluation and Audit Unit of Irish Aid. Internal audit is a key element of the governance arrangements for the Aid Programme. The practice with internal audits is that the Unit operates in a confidential manner in order to help ensure that its ability to operate effectively is not inhibited in any way. This approach,...

Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: I wish to share time with Deputy Aylward.

Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Twenty-Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill. As Deputies are aware, the Bill authorises the holding of a referendum which, if approved, will permit the State to ratify the reform treaty signed in Lisbon by EU leaders last December. The House has already heard many detailed speeches explaining both the content of the treaty and...

Cluster Munitions Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: I welcome this debate and support the Government amendment. Over the past two days contributors have spoken of the untold harm caused by cluster munitions to civilians in many parts of the world since they were first used in the Second World War. They are frequently used indiscriminately, harming civilians within range, and their high failure rate creates an enduring hazard of unexploded...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Irish Aid Programme has a clear focus on reducing poverty in some of the poorest countries of the world, including funding through Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other agencies for development programmes and projects. Funding has been channelled to alleviate poverty in Cuba through the UN and Trócaire. There are currently no additional funding requests for Cuba. Although the...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (17 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: While responsibility for pension protection rests with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, pension protection for overseas development volunteers, and the protection of the interests of overseas development workers generally, are matters of concern to me. Officials of my Department have discussed these matters with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The present position is...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: I am aware of the plight of child headed households in Rwanda and find the courage and resilience of the children and young people described in The Irish Times article "Orphans of genocide rear themselves in village of children" deeply moving. The challenges of access to education, health and employment are heavy burdens for all such young people. Fourteen years after the genocide in...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: Non governmental organisations (NGOs) are important partners for Irish Aid in the delivery of the aid programme. NGOs in receipt of funding are closely monitored with a view to ensuring full accountability for all monies disbursed. Where issues of concern arise they are reported to senior management and appropriate action is taken. The immediate action is normally the suspension of further...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: Irish Aid has in place rigorous accounting and audit controls which are essential to ensuring a transparent, effective and high quality programme. Irish Aid programmes are regularly and intensively audited and evaluated by independent audit firms, by Irish Aid's Evaluation and Audit Unit and by the independent Audit Committee of the Department. Programmes are evaluated to ensure that funds...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the INTRAC Value for Money Report on Irish Aid support provided from the Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Fund to Tsunami Affected Countries. The conclusion of that report was that "Irish Aid made a prompt and appropriate response, and, overall, managed its programme of support in an efficient and effective way. The programme of response has been...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: Ireland signed up to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness of March 2005, which, inter alia, agreed to "eliminate duplication of efforts and rationalise donor activities to make them as cost effective as possible." In line with this commitment, Irish Aid's programme funding agreements now provide authorisation for the commissioning of joint audit work with other donors in areas of...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table in respect of Vote 29, International Cooperation. Year Total â'¬,000 2005 2,608 2006 3,242 2007 4,315

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: Irish Aid delivers assistance to over 90 countries in the world but has a particularly deep relationship with nine countries termed Programme Countries, seven in Africa and two in Asia. These are Tanzania, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Vietnam and East Timor. In two of these countries, Mozambique and Tanzania, Irish Aid provides direct budget support as part of a...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (29 Apr 2008)

Michael Kitt: In 2008 Ireland's spending on Official Development Assistance (ODA) will reach €914 million. This level of expenditure, the highest in the history of the programme, represents 0.54 % of GNP. It will ensure that Ireland remains one of the most generous donors in the world on a per capita basis. €814 million of this aid expenditure is delivered by my Department, through Irish Aid. The...

Overseas Development Aid. (1 May 2008)

Michael Kitt: The United Nations world food programme, WFP, is one of the world's largest humanitarian agencies and is dependent entirely on voluntary contributions from donors. Last year alone, the WFP provided food assistance for 90 million people worldwide. Ireland is a long-term and committed supporter of the WFP. Irish funding for the WFP comes from two sources. My colleague, the Minister for...