Results 321-340 of 3,352 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Joe Costello

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Issues (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: Tanzania is one of the nine key partner countries for the Government’s development cooperation programme, where we have a commitment to long term strategic assistance. The issue of land rights for pastoralist communities in Tanzania, such as the Maasai, is a complex one, which I take very seriously. I am aware of the specific land conflict referred to by the Deputy. It has remained...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: The conflict in Syria has persisted now for more than two years and has created a humanitarian catastrophe of staggering proportions. There are in excess of 6.8 million Syrians requiring immediate assistance inside the country, over 4million of whom have been internally displaced. Widespread and indiscriminate violence has resulted in an estimated 80,000 deaths and has forced whole...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Issues (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: I share concerns that biofuel production, unless properly regulated, can have a negative impact on food production, and on food prices. The scale of the challenge of fighting global poverty and providing nutritious food for a growing population, in the context of a changing climate, was highlighted at the international Conference on Hunger Nutrition and Climate Justice which we organised in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: The situation in Mali remains high priority for the international community, including the European Union. It has been discussed at a series of international and EU meetings over recent months. Ireland has played a significant role in these talks in our capacity as EU Presidency, including in discussions which I chaired at the meeting of EU Development Ministers in Dublin in February....

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to face one of the most complex and enduring humanitarian crises in the world. After decades of war, instability and poor governance the humanitarian needs facing the country are enormous. Ongoing conflict, human rights violations and gender-based violence in the east of the country continue to displace hundreds of thousands of people...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: The EU is continuing to implement vigorously its comprehensive Strategy for the Horn of Africa which was adopted in 2011 and which covers the entire region including the situations in Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Kenya and other countries of the region. It addresses all dimensions on the different crises in the region including conflict, underdevelopment, and issues...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Child Solidiers (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 89, 90 and 91 together. The recruitment and use of child soldiers continues to be a serious problem and a matter of grave concern to Ireland and indeed the international community. The involvement of child soldiers has been reported in most recent armed conflicts and in almost every region of the world over the last two decades. Each year, the United...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (16 May 2013)

Joe Costello: As Minister of State with responsibility for Ireland’s Official Development Assistance, I am very conscious of the need to ensure that our development assistance is used to achieve its intended objectives. In our new Policy for International Development: One World, One Future, in line with the Government’s commitments to Public Service Reform, we renew our strong focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (14 May 2013)

Joe Costello: The Government is strongly committed to Ireland's overseas aid programme. Earlier this month the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD and I launched Ireland's new Policy on International Development – One World, One Future – where we set out our vision for a sustainable and just world. This policy sets out in very clear terms our goals and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Travel (14 May 2013)

Joe Costello: As the Deputy has pointed out, I recently undertook the first Irish Ministerial visit to Mongolia to attend the Community of Democracies Ministerial meeting which took place in Ulaanbaatar on 29 April. While in Mongolia, I also met with Irish business people active in the Mongolian market and met with representatives of the largest telecoms operator in Mongolia which is purchasing technical...

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

Joe Costello: CHAI is one of a series of separate initiatives established by the Clinton Foundation. It works in association with Governments and other partners to scale up prevention and treatment programmes for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, and to develop integrated health systems in partner countries. Following an evaluation of its effectiveness, the partnership between Irish Aid and the...

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

Joe Costello: 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 constitutional referendums. Irish observers participate primarily in missions organised by the European Union and the Organisation for...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Tax Code (7 May 2013)

Joe Costello: In certain circumstances, goods imported for charitable purposes may receive an exemption from import duties. The Embassy of Ireland in Nigeria would be happy to provide the relevant information to facilitate Irish charities and missionaries to apply to the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, Nigeria for such an exemption.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (7 May 2013)

Joe Costello: Last week the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD and I launched Ireland’s new policy on International Development – One World, One Future – where we set out our vision for a sustainable and just world. This policy sets out in very clear terms our goals and areas of focus and affirms Ireland’s commitment to international...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Policy (1 May 2013)

Joe Costello: The Policy is based on the Review of the White Paper on Irish Aid last year, one of the commitments contained in the Programme for Government. In this Review, we assessed the changed context, globally and here at home, and examined carefully the evidence and experience of recent years as well as the contributions made during the public consultation period. One World, One Future will be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (23 Apr 2013)

Joe Costello: Some 80% of the funding was managed by Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under Vote 27 – International Cooperation. The remainder consisted of development contributions made through other Government Departments, and Ireland’s share of the EU Development Cooperation budget. Funding under the Government’s aid programme was provided for long term...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid Provision (23 Apr 2013)

Joe Costello: The anticipated budget for the programme in Uganda in 2012 was €32.75 million. However, when I became aware of the misappropriation of Irish funds in October 2012, I immediately suspended over €16 million of assistance which was due to be channelled through Government of Uganda systems. The final outturn for the Uganda aid programme in 2012 was €15.54 million. An...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2013)

Joe Costello: There are currently 4 million people in desperate need of the basic means of survival. Over 2 million Syrians are displaced inside the country, their homes and communities destroyed and uninhabitable. More than 1.3 million people are now taking refuge in neighbouring countries after fleeing the hostilities. Despite serious risks and constraints on their operations, humanitarian workers are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (18 Apr 2013)

Joe Costello: There are now over 4 million people in need of life saving humanitarian assistance within Syria and over 1.3 million refugees in neighbouring countries. As the conflict enters its third year, the coping mechanisms of the internally displaced and the refugee populations are severely depleted and the numbers in acute need are increasing every day. The Tánaiste saw first-hand the terrible...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Land Issues (16 Apr 2013)

Joe Costello: The issue of land rights for pastoralist communities in Tanzania such as the Maasai is complex. It is something I take very seriously. Our Embassy in Tanzania, working with other EU Member States and UN agencies, is closely monitoring the situation and continues to raise the need for all parties, including the Government and the local community, to deal with the issue through open dialogue...