Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I do not intend to move the amendment to the motion. We reached agreement on the motion, which was changed. Therefore, we are pleased to withdraw our amendment as a result of that change. It is important there is unanimity on this type of issue.

At the UN in 2000 the Taoiseach pledged that Ireland would reach the target of 0.7% of GNP in development aid by 2007. That pledge fell by the wayside. However, we acknowledge that if the trend of the past two years continues, we should reach the target by 2012. Based on last year's budget it is expected that €914 million in overseas development aid will be provided this year, which is a significant sum. It is imperative that this taxpayers' money is used wisely and accounted for fully.

Fine Gael strongly supports the millennium development goals laid out by the United Nations in 2000. Their principles, eradicating extreme hunger and poverty, achieving universal primary education, gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV-AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and ensuring a global partnership for development are all worthy and necessary.

The motion before us refers to the fifth millennium goal, improving maternal health. The target is to reduce by three quarters between 1990 and 2015 the maternal mortality ratio. According to the UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2006, the rates of maternal mortality appear to have changed little since 1990. The worst affected regions are sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. To understand the scale of the problem, I recommend that Members check a website, mdgmonitor, where one simple map illustrates the severity of the problem.

The United Nations Family Planning Association's role is largely concerned with, as its name suggests, family planning and avoiding unwanted pregnancies, safe child birth, avoiding sexually transmitted diseases, combating violence against women, stopping the horrendous practice of female circumcision and promoting gender equality. Ireland, as well as the EU, has a history of supporting the UNFPA in its work to ensure fewer deaths as a result of pregnancy.

The George W. Bush Administration claimed that the UNFPA is involved in the promotion of abortion. This has been disproved by a number of independent researchers. I received a document from the Pro-Life Campaign yesterday, as I am sure did others Senators, a group which also questions the funding of the UNFPA. Perhaps the Minister of State might wish to clarify and comment on this matter.

The maternal mortality ratio has been declining at a rate of less than 1%. In 2005 536,000 women died of maternal causes compared with 576,000 in 1990. In sub-Saharan Africa a women's risk of dying from such complications in the course of her lifetime is one in 16, compared to one in 3,800 in the developed world. This is a damning statistic.

Though the causes of maternal deaths are varied, the majority of such deaths and disabilities could be prevented through appropriate reproductive health services before, during and after pregnancy and through life-saving interventions should complications arise. Attendance at delivery by skilled health personnel is critical in this respect, as such personnel are trained to detect problems early and can effectively provide or refer women to emergency obstetric care when needed.

One of the major problems in targeting this development goal is the lack of appropriate data both for earlier years and more recently. The statistic annex of the UN Millennium Development Goals Report 2007 does not have adequate data for 1990 to provide a base level for maternal mortality, nor for any year since 2000. A single piece of data in 2000, namely, the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, reveals a stark contrast between the developed world and certain developing regions in the world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. The number of births attended by skilled health personnel shows that while some regions have made substantial progress in this area, for example, north Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, others have fallen back slightly or remain in very low terms.

I welcome the fact that Irish Aid assisted two projects relating specifically to maternal mortality in 2006. It assisted an obstetric care maternal mortality project in Sierra Leone and a body in Nicaragua to build 14 mother and child care hostels, which also received a significant grant.

The €3 million funding which the Minister of State announced is to be welcomed. We, on this side of the House, certainly welcome it.