Results 10,661-10,680 of 11,433 for speaker:Michael Kitt

Millennium Development Goals. (27 Nov 2007)

Michael Kitt: Ireland is very much aware of the role it must play in reaching the millennium development goals and we are focusing very much on reducing poverty and supporting the provision of basic services to the poorest people in the world. Clearly our goal is reaching 0.7% of GDP by 2012, three years earlier than the agreed European Union deadline of 2015. The interim target this year was 0.5% and we...

Millennium Development Goals. (27 Nov 2007)

Michael Kitt: I appreciate the Deputy's support on this. That is the very point I have been making at the meetings, first of all in Madeira and more recently in Brussels. We are pressing very hard, particularly in Africa, which the Deputy would accept has fallen behind. There has been more progress in China and other Asian countries. We can also consider with some satisfaction that some 6 million...

Seanad: Government's Irish Aid Strategy: Statements (13 Nov 2007)

Michael Kitt: I thank all the Senators who took part in this very good debate. Overseas aid represents an increasingly significant part of our foreign policy and it is important our approach to development be debated in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Over the past year, Irish Aid has made considerable progress in implementing the recommendations of the White Paper and the Government has put in place...

Seanad: Government's Irish Aid Strategy: Statements (13 Nov 2007)

Michael Kitt: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and my colleagues in the Seanad for this opportunity to present the work of the Irish Aid programme to the House and to set the context for it. As Senators are aware, the scale of global development challenges today are such that we need a truly international response if we are to improve the lives of the world's poorest people. A key step was taken by the...

Undocumented Irish in the United States: Motion (6 Nov 2007)

Michael Kitt: With the agreement of the House I wish to share time with Deputy Scanlon. I am delivering this statement on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Deputy Dermot Ahern. This debate provides a welcome opportunity for this House to highlight the difficulties facing the undocumented Irish in the United States, the Government's strong record of engagement on their behalf and our continued...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (31 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: Irish Aid works in some of the poorest countries in the world. It is a reality that in some of these countries, there are concerns surrounding governance issues, including corruption . It is for this reason that accountability and good governance are central components of our programme strategies. We support the building of capacity, including audit capacity, in our programmes. In this way...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: Assistance to development organisations operating in Nepal has totalled €2.6 million since 2004, as follows: 2004 €448,468 2005 €596,620 2006 €600,533 2007 €988,041 The funding has been provided under a number of different schemes, including funding for missionary organisations, volunteer programmes, and funding for long-term development under the Civil Society Fund in the areas...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: There has been a sharp deterioration in 2007 in the security and humanitarian situation in Sudan, particularly Darfur. The current crisis represents a significant challenge to efforts to help the people of Sudan. Humanitarian access remains very difficult for aid workers in their efforts to reach those most in need. The security situation within some of the camps remains very volatile. In...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Emergencies: Humanitarian Emergencies (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: The Rapid Response Corps is a key component of the Government's Rapid Response Initiative. This Initiative is designed to enhance Ireland's overall response to humanitarian emergencies. The Rapid Response Corps consists of a roster of highly-skilled individuals who can deploy at short notice to emergency situations. The campaign to recruit members to this roster was launched in February 2007....

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: Irish Aid, the Government's official development programme, recognises adequate water and sanitation both as a fundamental right and as essential for social and economic development. We believe that adequate water and sanitation are prerequisites to the achievement of other basic rights, such as the right to health or to the achievement of equal rights for women and children, who currently...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: There are no plans, at this time, to purchase a transport aircraft for the Air Corps as part of Ireland's overseas aid programme. Such a purchase is unlikely to be a cost effective use of Irish Aid funding. The current position is that the transportation of Ireland's supplies of essential, non-food relief items — which are stockpiled at the UN's humanitarian response base in Brindisi, Italy...

Written Answers — Rapid Response Corps: Rapid Response Corps (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: The Rapid Response Corps is one element of the Rapid Response Initiative, which is itself a key component of the Government's White Paper on Irish Aid of September 2006. The overall aim is to save lives by a more effective response to humanitarian crises. The Rapid Response Corps is a roster of highly-skilled individuals who can deploy, on a voluntary basis, at short notice to emergency...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: The main focus of Ireland's programme of development assistance is on Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective is to help the poorest and most vulnerable people in developing countries, through assisting in bringing about positive and lasting changes in their lives. There is undoubtedly a clear inter-relationship between poverty, food security and conflict. The reduction of...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: The fundamental objective of Ireland's overseas aid programme is to help the poorest and most vulnerable people in developing countries, in particular in Africa, through assisting in bringing about positive and lasting changes in their lives. To achieve this change, Irish Aid devises programmes — in close consultation with national governments and other key stakeholders — which support...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: Refugee movements have many causes, including human rights abuses, conflicts and poverty. It is commonly accepted that the targeted eradication of poverty is an effective means of reducing migratory pressures from less developed countries to the developed world, thereby ensuring that migration can be effectively managed to the benefit of both sending and receiving countries. My Department...

Written Answers — Debt Relief: Debt Relief (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: The IMF and World Bank have made increasing efforts to tackle the problem of debt in developing countries since the launch of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in 1996. The HIPC Initiative, which was strengthened and enhanced in 1999, sought to reduce the debt burden of qualifying countries to sustainable levels but did not entail cancellation. Ire land contributed some...

Millennium Development Goals. (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: I share the Deputy's concerns about the rate of progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, in many countries. The Millennium Development Goals report, launched this July, gave us a snapshot of the progress achieved at the midpoint of the 2015 MDG target date. It is indeed a mixed picture. On the positive side, it shows that the proportion of people living in...

Millennium Development Goals. (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: Regarding the so-called neoliberal model mentioned by the Deputy, economic policies based on each country's specific situation are required. I hope this will emerge from inclusive and country-level debate within the democratic process in the country in question. Ireland supports a country specific approach. I agree with the Deputy and cannot see why a neoliberal policy or any externally...

Millennium Development Goals. (23 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: There are some good examples where progress is being made and the Deputy has given some. Progress has also been made in Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda. The Deputy mentioned countries with difficulties. Alternative ways should be provided to deliver aid through the UN and our NGOs and missionaries if, for example, economic instability or other difficulties arise in a country and we cannot...

Passports Bill 2007: Second Stage (18 Oct 2007)

Michael Kitt: I will deal with the Deputy's query later. The Passport Office is the only State service which operates on the ground in all 32 counties. There are 70 post offices throughout Northern Ireland which are part of the overall network for processing passport applications. The level of applications made through Northern post offices has been rising steadily in the past two years. This trend is...