Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the AIDS epidemic is one of the most serious issues facing Africa; the views of the Government in relation to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19744/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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HIV/AIDS continues to be the single biggest obstacle to reducing poverty and to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Current statistics from the United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) indicate that in 2005 almost 40 million people were living with the HIV virus.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the worst affected region in the world and is now home to over 25 million adults and children living with HIV. Over 3 million new infections occurred there in 2005, while the epidemic claimed the lives of over 2 million adults and children in the same year. Women outnumber men among people living with the disease. Women and girls make up almost 57% of adults living with HIV in Africa and 11 million children in this region have lost one or both parents to AIDS.

Ireland has a very strong commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS. It is a key priority for Irish Aid's policies and programmes. We were one of the first donors to develop a HIV/AIDS strategy which has served us well in guiding our response to this crisis. We have continually worked to ensure that the issue is high on the agenda of the EU and UN's Funds and Programmes.

At a global level, Ireland is supporting a number of multilateral organisations and initiatives, including UNAIDS, the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the International Partnership on Microbicides. The Government is also working with the Clinton Foundation to assist in the preparation of integrated HIV and AIDS treatment, care and prevention programmes. We are also supporting a regional HIV/AIDS programme for Southern and Eastern Africa. Our development programme is working to strengthen government capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS in all our Programme Countries and in South Africa. It is also supporting Non-Governmental and Faith-Based Organisations in their work to deliver home-based care and support children orphaned as a result of the pandemic.

I will ensure that the fight against HIV and AIDS and other communicable diseases will remain a top priority for the expanding aid programme. Following o n the commitment given by the Taoiseach at the High Level Meeting at the United Nations last September to provide additional funding to tackle HIV/AIDS and other global communicable diseases, I have increased the budget for tackling these diseases to €100 million this year. We will use these additional funds to build on existing partnerships at international and regional level. We will also increase support to our bilateral country partners in Africa as they scale up to provide increased access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services.

Next month, I will accompany the Taoiseach to the review of the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS in New York. The presence of the Taoiseach at this event indicates the importance which the Government affords to the global fight against HIV/AIDS and its determination to remain at the forefront of the international response.