Results 1,501-1,520 of 1,981 for speaker:Conor Lenihan

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: A new Afghanistan Compact was launched by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community at a conference in London on 31 January 2006. The compact provides a framework for international engagement in Afghanistan for the next five years. Ireland pledged €5 million at the launch of the compact. This new pledge, which will be expended over the next two years, reflects Ireland's...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The Government has committed itself to providing humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people. Since 2003, Ireland has delivered over €6.5 million to meet the immediate emergency humanitarian needs of some of the most vulnerable groups in that country. Funding has been delivered through key non-governmental partners such as Concern, GOAL and Trócaire and through UN and international...

Written Answers — Avian Flu: Avian Flu (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Avian flu has become a global threat, with developing countries facing the greatest threat. The virus has recently been detected in Nigeria, and it is probably inevitable that it will spread to other African countries. Compared to countries in Asia and Europe, many African countries lack the capacity to effectively address outbreaks and prevent the avian flu virus becoming rooted in the...

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Capacity building is recognised by both donors and developing countries as a critical priority for the attainment of the millennium development goals. This is strongly reflected in numerous recent international policy statements and reports such as the Paris declaration on aid effectiveness, the Commission for Africa report and the report of the UN millennium project. Within Africa, the...

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I will answer the last question first. We have additional staffing resources. I was delighted to work with my senior colleague in our Estimates campaign with the Minister for Finance. We achieved 20 extra staff for the development and co-operation division. That was some achievement in the current circumstances. I hope most of those staff will be devoted to the area of audit and evaluation...

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Regarding capacity issues generally, we will spend much more money in the expanded aid programme on scholarships and fellowships in particular. This year we hope to double the number of people on our scholarship programmes from 60 to 120. Similar to the situation that pertains to AIDS funding, I do not see it stopping there. I do not see the €50 million we doubled to €100 million this...

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I made those remarks on the donor countries, not the recipients.

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I agree. I thank Deputy Allen for his remarks. The principle of our aid programme is to focus on poverty and those in greatest need. It would be shocking and terrible if we punished the poor for the misdeeds of their government. That is an outrageous suggestion. It is nonsense for any NGO, charity or anyone pretending to assist Africa to suggest we should cut and run at the first sign of...

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: There is an onus on this House and on me, as Minister, to justify the programme to the people, who have justifiable concerns that perhaps our money could be misdirected, wasted or maladministered by a partner country. The Government is involved in headline budget support in very few, if any, countries. We have moved into headline budget support only in a small way. All the funding from Irish...

Overseas Development Aid. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I hope to publish the White Paper in July, subject to the approval of the Cabinet, which will move fast on it.

Decentralisation Programme. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, the development co-operation directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, currently based in Dublin, will decentralise to Limerick. This is scheduled to take place during the first quarter of 2007 and will involve the relocation to Limerick of 124 posts. A total of 26 posts in the directorate, including that of director general, are...

Decentralisation Programme. (22 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I have great pleasure in defending my senior colleague, the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern. He did not seek in any fashion to threaten staff and that would be a very wrong assumption for the Deputy to make. The Department has taken very strong proactive measures to minimise the threat raised by the Deputy of corporate loss of memory. Specific measures have been taken to protect the development...

Order of Business. (21 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: That could be open to many interpretations. The Taoiseach has been accused of many things on the floor of the House.

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Order for Report Stage. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Amendment No. 2 would change the wording as set out in the first Schedule to the Act to "the text of which in the English language is set out for convenience of reference in the First Schedule to this Act". The amendment seeks to change the wording to that now more commonly used in scheduling the text of international conventions to Bills. However, as I stated on Committee Stage to the Deputy...

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: If it is of value to Deputy Higgins, I can give what might have been my reply to amendment No. 1. The amendment proposed by the Labour Party relates to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and was disallowed on Committee Stage for being outside the scope of the Bill. The Bill relates solely to the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular relations. As I stated on Committee Stage...

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: That is for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I would like to know everything and oblige the Deputy as far as possible but it is a matter for that Department.

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: It may not be necessary to pass legislation to accede to the Vienna conventions. That is the best legal advice we have at present but the issue is being explored and we have sought confirmation from the Attorney General. It is a fine call but, as the only member of my family not to become a lawyer, I am not particularly conversant with the legal issues involved.

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Within the next few months, the Attorney General will confirm whether legislation is needed to accede to the convention. However, the advice of my Department's legal officers is that such a provision may not be necessary.

Diplomatic Relations and Immunities (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report and Final Stages. (15 Feb 2006)

Conor Lenihan: If I was not sufficiently clear in my reply to Deputy Higgins, I will be more explicit for the benefit of Deputy Durkan. The advice I received from the legal advisory section in the Department of Foreign Affairs is that legislation will not be required. However, in line with usual practice for these matters, we are consulting the Attorney General to ensure that he is of the same legal view.