Results 1,821-1,840 of 7,777 for speaker:Joe Costello

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I thank the members for their questions. Deputy Byrne asked about the enormous burden that is being placed on Lebanon. We are not only engaged in that area but have Irish troops serving with UNIFIL and we have sent new troops to participate with UNDOF in the Golan Heights. We have a very strong traditional involvement there. Irish troops have been in Lebanon since 1978 from the beginning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I thank Deputies for their questions. In response to Deputy Brenda Smith's question on the donor pledging conference, we held one already and another will take place in January 2014. Deputy Smith also tabled a parliamentary question in the Dáil on this matter. Ireland fully honours all its pledges. There is never a question about it. We are renowned for it. It is not necessarily...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: We decided that this would be purely under my development hat and that we would keep to Lebanon, the occupied territories and Gaza. In the relatively short time that was available for me it could be perceived as tokenistic if I was to meet a small number of Israeli officials. That is something we would hope to do on a future occasion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Syrian Conflict: Discussion with Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I thank the Chairman. I am very pleased to be here today to address the committee. I was in the Middle East and in Lebanon last week. I am delighted to have the opportunity to give the committee the up-to-date account of my experiences there. My main purpose in travelling to the region was to visit the occupied Palestinian territory and to see for myself the Irish Aid programme there. I...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Syrian Conflict (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: It could be individuals or whole families, but not children specifically. I am not aware of any programme specifically geared towards taking children on their own. I understand what the Senator said in that children are the most vulnerable and need education. Many children are not getting that education in the Syrian context, so it is a very serious matter. The message I got from the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Syrian Conflict (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: My advice would be that the Department of Justice and Equality would be the next port of call.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Syrian Conflict (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: Earlier today I reported to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade on my visit to the Middle East last week. I saw at first hand the plight of the Syrian refugee population in Lebanon. The humanitarian catastrophe that has hit the Syrian population is indescribable in its scale and its atrocity. The mere figures of well over 100,000 dead, 4.25 million internally...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Syrian Conflict (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I am saying that we have a resettlement programme that we negotiated with the United Nations. That programme enables us to take refugees on an annual basis. Already, in the latter half of this year, we will take Syrian refugees exclusively and 2014 will be devoted exclusively to Syrian refugees. At present we are talking in the region of between 25 to 30 refugees this year and 90 or...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: Let us get the figures for Northern Ireland where Sinn Féin presides.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: UN Guiding Principles (16 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: In May, the Tánaiste and I launched the Government’s new policy for international development, ‘One World, One Future’. It delivers on the commitment in the Programme for Government to review the 2006 White Paper on Irish Aid and sets out the framework for Ireland’s engagement in international development over the coming years. I believe this new framework...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (10 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government is committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme. This commitment was expressed and enhanced by the publication earlier this year of our new Policy on International Development, “One World, One Future” which clearly sets out our vision for a sustainable and just world, and our goals and areas of focus for the coming years. It also reaffirms the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (9 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government is committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme. This commitment was expressed and enhanced by the publication earlier this year of our new Policy on International Development, “One World, One Future” which clearly sets out our vision for a sustainable and just world, and our goals and areas of focus for the coming years. It also reaffirms the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Election Monitoring Missions (8 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I believe that international election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade maintains a roster of observers for election monitoring missions. We aim to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level in international observation missions for both elections and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Development Education (8 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government's development cooperation programme, which is managed by Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, reflects the values and experience of the Irish people and depends on their support. Development education, and public information and engagement, have been, and remain, key elements of the aid programme, as set out in the Government's new Policy for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (8 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government’s new development policy, “One World, One Future”, sets out the vision, goals and priorities for our overseas aid programme over the coming four years. It was drawn up on the basis of a very extensive public consultation process, and reaffirms Ireland’s strong support for multilateral efforts in the fight against global poverty and hunger. We...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (8 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: See table below. Vote 27 Expenditure on Health and HIV/AIDS 2012 - - € million % Total ODA Bilateral Funding Support Other Support to governments and civil society in Partner Countries, Irish NGOs, global health and HIV initiatives Includes Emergency and Recovery 93.504 9.0 Multilateral Funding support Includes UNAIDS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (8 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: Official Development Assistance (ODA) is most effective when it supports the objectives that people, communities and governments themselves decide are priorities for national development and poverty reduction. Delivering ODA as untied aid to developing countries is the best way to ensure that the recipients themselves are in the driving seat and that all development resources, both external...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Issues (8 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: I am aware of the Act Now on 2015 e-mail campaign regarding Ireland’s commitment to Official Development Assistance (ODA) The Government is committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme. This commitment was expressed and enhanced by the publication earlier this year of our new Policy on International Development, “One World, One Future” which clearly sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (3 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government is committed to Ireland's overseas aid programme. This commitment was expressed and enhanced by the publication earlier this year of our new Policy on International Development, “One World, One Future” which clearly sets out our vision for a sustainable and just world, and our goals and areas of focus for the coming years. It also reaffirms the centrality of the...

Other Questions: Humanitarian Aid (2 Oct 2013)

Joe Costello: The ongoing crisis in Syria is unprecedented in recent history with the enormous humanitarian impact reverberating across the region. The devastating violence has caused more than 2.1 million refugees to seek protection in neighbouring countries, in addition to the more than 4 million people who have found themselves displaced inside their own country. With almost 7 million people in urgent...