Results 2,081-2,100 of 7,777 for speaker:Joe Costello

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The 2006 White Paper on Irish Aid set out clearly the basis and priorities for Ireland’s official aid programme which is working on behalf of the Irish people to improve the lives of the world’s poorest people. The programme has been recognised internationally for its focus on poverty and hunger, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and also for its leadership in making aid more...

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: On the last point, the 30% reduction is accordance with the official target sought and is described officially as gross national income, which is, effectively, gross national product. In terms of other countries, we are very au fait with what is going on and take much of that into consideration. There are, of course, some differences between us and many other countries, one such relating to...

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The Deputy has asked several questions. I would like to indicate my appreciation for his support, and that of his party, for my Department’s development assistance programme, which has always been unstinting. The European Union provides €53 billion, or 55% of all global development aid, so it is showing the way. Four member states have reached and exceeded the 0.7% target....

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The situation is dire in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. There are approximately one billion people who go to bed hungry every day. There are various epidemics, particularly that of HIV-AIDS. Our legacy of hunger since the Famine is part and parcel of who and what we are and because of that we do the best we can possibly do for those who are so much less well off than...

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: Ireland has a strong international reputation for the quality and effectiveness of our aid programme, which is sharply focused on the fight against poverty and hunger, especially in the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is built on the contributions of generations of Irish people who have worked in the developing world, including volunteers, professionals and...

Other Questions: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The programme for Government contains a clear commitment to Ireland’s aid programme and to the UN target of providing 0.7% of gross national product for official development assistance, ODA. We have underscored this commitment in our budgetary allocations for ODA and we have emphasised that we are working to achieve the UN target when our economic circumstances allow it. Last year,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Programmes (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: Ireland’s EU Presidency comes at a crucial period for international development policy, as the international community opens discussion on the framework for global development after 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals. A Special Event will be held at the United Nations in September to review progress on the MDGs and to begin consideration of the post-2015...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: Ireland’s aid programme prioritises the fight against global poverty and hunger. It is strongly focused on the poorest countries and communities in sub-Saharan Africa, prioritising investments in the areas of education, health, good governance, food security and nutrition. The programme is central to our foreign policy, has an enviable international reputation, and consistently enjoys...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 24 together. As the Deputies know I was deeply concerned about the misappropriation of €4 million of Irish development funding in Uganda, which came to light last October. Ireland has always made it abundantly clear that we have no tolerance for fraud or any other form of financial irregularity in relation to our development programme. I...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The practice of tying aid to the purchase of goods and services of the donor country has long been recognised as reducing the effectiveness and efficiency of development cooperation programmes. The untying of aid has been shown to improve the effectiveness of programmes aimed at reducing poverty and of better aligning donor assistance with the needs of beneficiary countries. Ireland is one...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: Ireland has long term, strategic development partnership programmes with a small number of developing countries, called Programme Countries. These are Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia in sub-Saharan Africa, and Timor Leste and Vietnam in Asia. Timor Leste has now ceased to be a Programme Country. In these countries we aim to build government and institutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The recent conflict in Gaza has exacerbated the already difficult humanitarian situation on the ground and increased the vulnerabilities of many families. Prior to the recent hostilities, Gaza was experiencing a serious humanitarian crisis due to the economic blockade and the effective isolation of the territory from the outside world. As a result, people in Gaza face high unemployment, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: Ireland’s aid programme prioritises the fight against global poverty and hunger. The programme is central to our foreign policy, has an enviable international reputation and enjoys consistently high levels of public and political support. For 2012 Ireland provided €639 million to Official Development Assistance (ODA). This funding was directed to development programmes and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains a roster of observers for election monitoring missions. We aim to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for both elections and constitutional...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: About one third of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) is channelled through international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union. Multilateral organisations play a central role in building international agreement on key development challenges and provide support for the fight against global poverty, for the protection and promotion of human rights...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The last ten years represent one of the worst decades ever in terms of attacks on humanitarian workers and lack of humanitarian access. Across the world, courageous humanitarian workers struggle every day to reach civilians in armed conflicts as well as those affected by the numerous natural disasters that occur each year. In many of these desperate situations the provision of life-saving...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: As Minister of State with responsibility for Ireland’s Official Development Assistance, I am very conscious of the need to have a high level of assurance that our development assistance reaches its intended beneficiaries and that it makes a real difference in the lives of the poorest people. To ensure that our assistance is effectively delivered to those most in need in developing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (16 Jan 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government will maintain its focus on the issues of poverty, hunger, and conflict in Africa in the coming years, while also working to develop our bilateral relations to take account of the remarkable economic progress which has been made in many countries across the continent. The extent of our commitment to Africa is underlined by the fact that some 80% of Ireland’s official...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Live Exports (20 Dec 2012)

Joe Costello: I will bring the Senator's concerns to the Minister's attention. I will emphasise the point made by the Senator that the matter needs to be expedited.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fee-Paying Schools (20 Dec 2012)

Joe Costello: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. It affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the policy of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, on fee-paying schools. This Government has protected front-line services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget. There will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second...