Results 521-540 of 881 for speaker:Peter Power
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: As the Deputy is aware most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Co-operation. The programme is administered by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. Further contributions to ODA are made by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I welcome suggestions in relation to overseas volunteering in support of the work of the Ireland's aid programme and of the development work of Irish NGOs and individuals. The interest in volunteering demonstrated by the Irish people in recent years is impressive, and encouraging. Currently, more than 3,000 Irish volunteers and development workers are working with development agencies and...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 and 153 together. It is a matter of particular importance to the Government that the funding provided for our aid programme benefits the poorest and most vulnerable people of the countries in which we operate. The Government's development cooperation programme, which is implemented by Irish Aid, provides assistance to over ninety developing countries. The...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: Hunger is one of the critical issues facing the world today as almost one billion people go to bed each evening without adequate food. This number is continuing to rise, as the impact of hunger is compounded by the global economic crisis. The first Millennium Development Goal, to reduce by half the proportion of those suffering from hunger, is not on target to be reached in Africa. The...
- Overseas Development Aid. (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I have already set out, in my reply to the first question, the basis on which the Government acted last week in order to curb public expenditure. The decision to reduce the budget provided for overseas development assistance in 2009 was a difficult one, but it was necessary in the context of the extremely difficult economic situation the country now faces. The Government is acting now with...
- Overseas Development Aid. (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: The Deputy has mentioned corruption, which I must refute. Our overseas development assistance budget is peer reviewed internationally by the OECD. It is recognised as being of the highest quality and one of the most effective in the world. That characterisation of the budget is wrong. I will not spend more time on that, but I accept that in very difficult economic times it is very...
- Overseas Development Aid. (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I cannot say at the moment. We can take either of two approaches to this. We can cut â¬95 million pro rata across the whole budget, affecting spending streams such as the bilateral aid programme, multilateral involvement, NGOs, civil society, etc. I am not disposed towards taking that type of blunt unsophisticated approach. We now have the opportunity to look at all our funding streams...
- Overseas Development Aid. (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: Last week the Government took the difficult decision to reduce the total official development assistance, ODA, budget for 2009 from â¬891 million to â¬796 million â a saving of â¬95 million. This was taken in the context of the wider Government decision to reduce current expenditure in 2009. It has only one purpose â the curbing of public expenditure in order to provide the platform...
- Overseas Development Aid. (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: Clearly, those who subscribe to our ambitious targets for overseas development aid would prefer not to make adjustments through cuts and savings across the programme. However, it must be seen in the context of the wider Government decision. We must ensure that the programme is sustainable, that it has a solid foundation and is not built on sand and that when we reach our target of 0.7 %,...
- Overseas Development Aid. (12 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: We have not made final decisions on that. Given the complexity of the programme, I intend to adopt a nuanced rather than a pro rata approach across the programme. Certainly, the multilateral agencies will be examined. The increase in aid to multilateral agencies has been disproportionate compared with the other side of the programme.
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (11 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: As Minister of State with responsibility for our overseas aid budget, I am deeply conscious of the need to ensure value for money and impact on the ground in terms of poverty reduction. I can assure you that the aid programme has in place a comprehensive programme of appraisal, planning, audit, and evaluation to ensure that funds are spent effectively and benefit the most vulnerable and...
- Hospital Services: Motion (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I wish to share time with Ministers of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputies John Moloney and Barry Andrews, and Deputies John Cregan and Michael Lowry by agreement.
- Hospital Services: Motion (Resumed) (11 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the hospital services in the mid-west. I will concentrate on how the proposed review relates to Limerick city. I strongly believe that the reforms set out in the report are long overdue. Ultimately, they will be good for patient outcomes in Limerick. I also believe that it will not happen overnight and that the change must be...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (10 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: Most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Co-operation. The programme is administered by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. Further contributions to ODA are made by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU Development...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (10 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 379 together. Universal access to reproductive health is one of the goals of the Programme of Action agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994. In addition, the fifth Millennium Development Goal is to (a) reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality ratio and (b) achieve universal access to reproductive...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (10 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: Most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Co-operation. The programme is administered by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. Further contributions to ODA are made by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU Development...
- Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: Most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Co-operation. The programme is administered by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. Further contributions to ODA are made by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU Development...
- Stabilisation of the Public Finances: Motion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: The difficult decisions taken by the Government yesterday will have implications for all Votes across all Departments. These decisions were vital and have but one purpose, namely, the elimination of unsustainable levels of borrowing for day-to-day public expenditure to provide the platform needed for economic growth in future. Let us not be under any illusions. The reasons we must eliminate...
- Seanad: Human Rights Issues: Motion (4 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: We have tabled a counter-motion which sets out the Government's approach to the issues raised. I propose to address the various points which are the subject of today's counter-motion, moved by Senator Ann Ormonde, in the order in which they appear in the motion. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs said that the Government's decision to integrate the Combat Poverty Agency and the office...
- Seanad: Human Rights Issues: Motion (4 Feb 2009)
Peter Power: I made that clear in my presentation. I commend the amended motion to the House.