Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on general comment no. 15 (2002) of the Economic and Social Council of the EU in relation to the right to water as a fundamental human right. [4317/07]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has stated in its General Comment Number 15 that "the human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses".

The Government supports the views expressed by the Committee in its General Comment Number 15. Although national governments bear the primary responsibility for delivering on the obligation to provide water for all, General Comment No. 15 also highlights the role of international cooperation.

Irish Aid is working to ensure that financial and other support is provided to enable developing countries to devise and implement national strategies and action plans aimed at delivering water and sanitation to all their citizens, with priority to the poorest rural and urban slum dwellers.

I was pleased to note that the UNDP's 2006 Human Development Report recognised the Irish Government's commitment to investing in water and sanitation — a commitment which has been reiterated in the Government's White Paper on Irish Aid.