Results 1,281-1,300 of 1,981 for speaker:Conor Lenihan

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (27 Sep 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The White Paper on Irish Aid was launched by the Taoiseach on the 18th September in the Mansion House with over 500 people in attendance. The document wassimultaneously launched on a dedicatedwebsite, where it can be downloaded (www.irishaid.gov.ie/whitepaper/). The Minister for Foreign Affairs presented copies of the White Paper to the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Jul 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I refer the Deputy to my answer given on Thursday 29 June 2006 regarding the African Union (AU) initiative on political dialogue with Zimbabwe. Since then, I understand that former President Mkapa of Tanzania has been appointed mediator. The Zimbabwean Government failed to co-operate with President Chissano's efforts and, in 2005, refused even to facilitate a visit by Mr. TomNyanduga, an...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (4 Jul 2006)

Conor Lenihan: My Department has received a copy of the British Commonwealth Secretariat report referred to by the Deputy. My own Department has commissioned research on the fiscal impact of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), including on our Programme Countries. While it is clear that the EPAs will entail adjustment costs, I am not convinced that the cost assessment undertaken in the Commonwealth...

Written Answers — United Nations Reform: United Nations Reform (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Ireland has been strongly supportive of the reforms which have taken place in what was formerly known as the Central Emergency Revolving Fund (CERF). The new Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) was brought into being by a General Assembly resolution last December. Previously, the CERF was a loan-based mechanism which provided resources to UN agencies from a $50 million reserve, only when...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: HIV/AIDS presents an enormous challenge to developing countries, especially in Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is by far the worst-affected region in the world. AIDS is now the leading cause of death in this region. Over 3 million new infections occurred there in 2005, while the disease claimed the lives of over 2 million adults and children in the same year. Women and girls make up almost 57% of...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 60 together. Ireland has strongly supported the provision of humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian people. The core objective of Ireland's assistance in Palestine has been to alleviate the material consequences of the ongoing conflict by enhancing the capacity of Ireland's partners in Palestine to respond to the crisis and to begin,...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 72 and 119 together. There are 3 categories of Specialists employed by Irish Aid: Principal Development Specialists, Senior Development Specialists, and Development Specialists. Three Principal Development Specialists serve in Irish Aid headquarters in Dublin. None of the three has applied to decentralise to Limerick. There are twelve Senior Development...

Written Answers — Democratisation Initiatives: Democratisation Initiatives (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The Government's programme of assistance to developing countries reflects our longstanding commitment to human rights and fairness in international relations and the recognition that democratisation, good governance and the promotion of human rights are as important as economic policy and reform for reducing poverty and achieving development. Support to good governance and democratisation is...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 154 together. The complex series of factors which contribute to the enormous needs we encounter in Africa include food insecurity, poverty, environmental degradation, weak governmental capacity and policies, unequal global trading relationships, protracted conflict, severe infrastructural weaknesses, poor governance, debt and the effects of HIV/AIDS....

Written Answers — Debt Relief: Debt Relief (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 155 together. The debt burden is accepted as being a serious factor in retarding the progress of the poorest countries from achieving development. Ireland's principal commitment at present in the area of debt relief and debt cancellation is to the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) at the World Bank/IDA. The Minister for Finance has pledged...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 57 together. The Rapid Response Initiative aims at strengthening Ireland's operational response to humanitarian crises. Ireland already plays a key role in supporting the UN, the International Red Cross family and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to respond to humanitarian emergencies abroad. The Asian Tsunami of December 2004, the remarkable...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The Government's programme of development cooperation is based on our commitment to help poor countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs set a number of key, measurable development targets to be reached by 2015. The target of halving the population without access to safe drinking water or basic sanitation is one of the MDGs. This is a phenomenal challenge with 1.1...

Written Answers — Development Aid Principles: Development Aid Principles (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The EU in recent years has taken a number of important actions to achieve fairer conditions in the international cotton trade, which has been marked by a prolonged decline in prices over the last decade. The actions include improved access to EU markets for cotton-exporting Least Developed Countries (LDCs) following the Union's 2001 Everything But Arms Initiative. Furthermore, in April 2004,...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 99, 104, 115 and 122 together. Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is Irish Aid's Headquarters and currently based in Dublin, will decentralise to Limerick. Already, a total of 37 posts in Irish Aid Headquarters, including that of Director General, are filled...

Written Answers — Middle East Peace Process: Middle East Peace Process (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The Government and our EU partners strongly supported the work of James Wolfensohn during his tenure as Quartet Special Envoy with responsibility for the Israeli disengagement from Gaza. Mr. Wolfensohn stood down from the position on 30 April this year. The Secretary-General of the UN expressed his deep appreciation for Mr Wolfensohn's efforts, a sentiment echoed by the Quartet, which also...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The European Union, like Ireland, has a particular focus on communicable diseases including HIV/AIDS. The European Union approach is outlined in the 2005 report entitled "A European Programme for Action to Confront HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis through external action". This report provides for accelerated investment and effort both at European Union level and in conjunction with other...

Decentralisation Programme. (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Three principal development specialists serve in Irish Aid headquarters in Dublin, none of whom has applied to decentralise to Limerick. There are 12 senior development specialists in Irish Aid headquarters, none of whom has applied to decentralise to Limerick. Two senior development specialists originally applied to decentralise to Limerick but subsequently withdrew their applications. There...

Decentralisation Programme. (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: My senior colleague has just returned from Rome where he met the Pope and today travelled to Belfast to meet the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, with whom he and the Taoiseach will have important discussions. He has a relatively valid excuse for not being present.

Decentralisation Programme. (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I do not want to get involved in the type of wrangling we had on the previous occasion I spoke, specifically because I stated at the time that it appeared some Opposition Deputies were not listening to or tracking my statements on this issue.

Decentralisation Programme. (29 Jun 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The Deputy's question sought to ascertain the reason I did not make known to the House the legal issue that has arisen regarding specialist grades.