Results 8,721-8,740 of 13,254 for speaker:Seán Sherlock

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Debt Relief (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: Ireland has played a strong role in international efforts to alleviate the unsustainable debt burden on some of the poorest countries. We have been to the forefront of the work globally to build a consensus on the issue of debt cancellation for the least developed countries. This has resulted in the development of a strong international framework on debt cancellation for developing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: Ireland has long been to the forefront of the global initiative to support debt cancellation for the least developed countries, including Malawi. Since 1996 we have provided over €116 million for international debt cancellation initiatives, despite the fact our development aid has always been untied and provided on grant terms, and never as loans. We can be proud that Ireland has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: Ireland has funded programmes of assistance to Palestine for more than two decades, reflecting a long-standing commitment to justice for the Palestinian people and to the peaceful development of a viable, sovereign Palestinian State. This funding, which currently amounts to over €10 million annually, addresses immediate humanitarian needs, as well as development priorities and the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The Government’s Policy for International Development, One World, One Future, highlights Ireland's clear commitment to addressing the rights and needs of vulnerable people, including those with disabilities. Human rights and accountability form one of six priority areas for action. The aim is to ensure that principles including non-discrimination, equality, empowerment and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Expenditure (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 425 together. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future” clearly articulates our vision for a sustainable and just world, and sets out our goals and areas of focus for the coming years. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Disease Management (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is now recognised as an international public health emergency. I have just returned from a visit to Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, where I saw for myself the devastating effects of the epidemic on people already coping with the impact of conflict and poverty. The epidemic shows no signs of abating and the UN has stated that, in addition to the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: A total of 6.1 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in Sudan, as a result of conflict, insecurity, environmental conditions and displacement. In 2014, some 398,000 people have been newly displaced in Darfur. As a result of the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, large numbers of people are currently crossing the border into Sudan. In addition, during 2011 fighting between the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Oversight (7 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: As Minister of State with responsibility for Ireland’s Official Development Assistance, I am acutely aware of the need to ensure that our development assistance reaches its intended beneficiaries and makes a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest people. Ireland’s aid programme has always had a strong poverty focus and the new development policy “One...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (2 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, clearly states our commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development Assistance (ODA), and to making further progress towards it when...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Expenditure (1 Oct 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137, 138, 140 and 145 together. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, clearly states our commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Expenditure (30 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478, 480 and 485 together. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, which was launched last year, clearly states our commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (30 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 to 484, inclusive, together. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa and is now recognised as an international public health emergency. On 21 September the World Health Organisation estimated the total number of cases in the region at over 6,200, with more than 2,900 deaths so far. The epidemic shows no signs of abating and the UN has stated that, in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (23 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 425 together. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future” clearly articulates our vision for a sustainable and just world, and sets out our goals and areas of focus for the coming years....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (23 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The Ebola outbreak, officially confirmed in Guinea in March 2014, has since spread rapidly to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. The World Health Organisation is currently estimating the total number of probable and confirmed cases in the region at more than 5,600, with a fatality rate of over 50%. Ireland is supporting the efforts of the EU, UN and international community to provide a...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Oversight (17 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1180, 1215 and 1216 together. The protracted crisis in Syria has resulted in immense humanitarian need. More than 190,000 people have lost their lives, and there are now over 10.8 million people within the country who are in need of immediate life-saving support, 4.7 million of them in areas that are very difficult to access. There are a further 3 million...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The Government's main funding to development NGOs under the aid programme is managed by the Civil Society and Development Education Unit of the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This includes grant funding for long-term overseas development work, implemented primarily by Irish Non-Governmental Organisations, and for development education work in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (17 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The situation in Iraq has deteriorated sharply in recent months, with the advance into large areas of northern and western Iraq by the Islamist militia, Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS). As a result of the fighting, hundreds of thousands of people have made their way to Iraq’s Kurdistan region or to contested areas inside the Ninewah Governorate. Tens of thousands more are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Seán Sherlock: The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, clearly states our commitment to achieving the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development Assistance (ODA), when economic circumstances permit. ...

Topical Issue Debate: Respite Care Grant Administration (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Sherlock: It is ominous that she sent me here to reply.

Topical Issue Debate: Respite Care Grant Administration (10 Jul 2014)

Seán Sherlock: I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton. As the Deputy said, we acknowledge the crucial role carers play in society. In 2014 the estimated Department expenditure on various supports for carers will be almost €886 million, comprising approximately €557 million on the carer's allowance, €21.5...