Results 10,621-10,640 of 11,433 for speaker:Michael Kitt

Overseas Development Aid. (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: The focus of Ireland's overseas development programme is the elimination of poverty. Irish Aid works to improve access to basic health care, education, clean water and adequate housing for some of the poorest communities in the world. The White Paper on Irish Aid, published in September 2006, identified the principles and priorities for the programme as it expands to meet the target of...

Overseas Development Aid. (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: The peer reviews carried out by the OECD show that Ireland comes top of the class in the context of its aid programme. The Minister has written to the Government Chief Whip, Deputy Tom Kitt, regarding the establishment of a new foreign affairs committee and the renaming of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. We have our own audit committee and we work closely with other countries in...

Overseas Development Aid. (6 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: I must inform Deputy Naughten that we are dealing with nine programme countries, seven of which are located in Africa. The Deputy's question relates to what the EU is doing in the context of integration. We are spending a major amount of money in seven of the poorest countries in Africa. On the question put by Deputy Barry Andrews, I stated earlier that we have not received a request with...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Government is committed to expanding Ireland's Overseas Aid programme. We have set a target of spending 0.7% of GNP on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) by 2012 and we are well on track to meeting this UN target. For 2008 the Government has allocated €914 million to ODA. The majority of this funding — €814 million — comes under Vote 29, International Cooperation, which is...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 390 to 392, inclusive, together. In 2008 Ireland's spending on Overseas Development Aid (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. We are well on track to meeting...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Government's official programme of development assistance, Irish Aid, has as its primary aim the reduction of poverty. Africa is the primary geographic focus of Irish Aid. The White Paper on Irish Aid sets out the principles and policies underlying the aid programme. It outlines the vision for the future and a number of key initiatives. The White Paper was the subject of extensive...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (5 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: Ireland provides development support to some of the poorest countries in the world, some of which are ranked as having a significant level of corruption. Working in countries with corruption and weak governance generates a risk for donors, including Ireland. Corruption affects the poorest in society. We are committed to addressing it through improving transparency and accountability,...

Written Answers — Rapid Response Corps: Rapid Response Corps (5 Feb 2008)

Michael Kitt: Sixty four volunteers were invited to become members of the Rapid Response Corps in 2007 following a rigorous selection and interview process. Fifty two of this group completed their pre-departure training and checks in the past year, and seven of those have already been deployed to various humanitarian crises worldwide. A further member will be deployed shortly. A new campaign to recruit...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (30 Jan 2008)

Michael Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 578 and 579 together. Most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Cooperation. The programme is administered by the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. The Government has provided a total allocation of €814 million to Vote 29 for...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (30 Jan 2008)

Michael Kitt: Education is a key component of Ireland's overseas development aid programme. This focus was reiterated in the White Paper on Irish Aid in 2006 which states that 'Education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalised adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty'. In 2007 Irish Aid, the Government's official aid programme, expended approximately €65...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (30 Jan 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Taoiseach visited South Africa and Tanzania from 13 to 18 January. He was accompanied by the Minister for Trade and Enterprise, Michéal Martin, T.D. and the Minister of State for Overseas Aid, Michael Kitt, T.D. The key objectives of the visit were to further develop Irish–South African bilateral and trade relations, and to visit Irish Aid funded development projects and programmes in...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (30 Jan 2008)

Michael Kitt: Heavy rains and storms since the beginning of December 2007 have caused severe flooding in southern Africa, including Zambia. A UN Preliminary Emergency Appeal for the region has been issued and a Revised Emergency Appeal, providing a more detailed operational plan will be completed shortly. World Food Programme (WFP) staff are currently on the ground, carrying out this assessment. Good...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (30 Jan 2008)

Michael Kitt: The Evaluation and Audit Unit conducted a review of the implementation of a training programme for staff working with young adults with disabilities in a dedicated residential centre in Techirghiol, Romania. A number of recommendations were made to strengthen the programme, including the performance of a comprehensive needs analysis of the residents of the centre. Health Action Overseas has...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (19 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: In response to the humanitarian emergency caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and as an expression of solidarity with the people of the United States, Ireland provided €1 million in emergency funding to the disaster effort. Approximately €700,000 was delivered via the Irish Red Cross to the American Red Cross, and a further €300,000 was committed by our Embassy in Washington to support...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (19 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: Ireland's overseas development assistance (ODA) is delivered through a wide range of development and humanitarian organisations, including non governmental organisations (NGOs), multilateral and other international organisations, and directly through our own programmes in our 9 Programme Countries. This mix and balance of delivery mechanisms is designed to maximise the impact of our...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (18 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: In order to raise awareness of the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) among those who work with immigrant communities, my Department wrote to the former health boards in 2001 and again in 2004 and to the Health Service Executive in February 2007 drawing their attention to the issue of FGM and requesting that personnel, particularly those working with immigrant communities, should be...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (18 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: The Development Education Advisory Committee (DEAC) was appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2003 to advise on development education policy and on ways of increasing knowledge and understanding of development issues in Ireland. The Committee also has a role in overseeing reviews and evaluations of development education activities and in managing an annual consultation forum. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (18 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. The Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange, more commonly known as the Fulbright Commission for Ireland, was established by the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991. The Commission facilitates a programme of educational exchange between Ireland and the United States of America. The...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (12 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together. Both Concern Worldwide and Trócaire receive significant funding annually from Irish Aid. The bulk of this funding relates to the Multi Annual Programme Scheme (MAPS) with other funding also allocated for emergency and humanitarian assistance and for development of education initiatives. MAPS is a funding scheme which has been...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (11 Dec 2007)

Michael Kitt: I propose to take Questions Nos. 413 to 416, inclusive, together. The Value for Money Review of Irish Aid's (formerly Development Cooperation Ireland's) emergency humanitarian response to a selected disaster focused on the 2004 Asian Tsunami. The report on this VfM Review, which was an independent assessment of the appropriateness, efficiency, effectiveness and connectedness of Irish Aid's...