Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 737: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has received a proposal to initiate a fair trade flag for schools, along the lines of the green flag scheme; the consideration he is giving to the idea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1199/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland is one of the strongest supporters of the Fair Trade movement internationally. The objective of the Government's assistance is to enable small farmers and producers in developing countries to obtain a fair price for their produce, invest premiums to improve quality and capacity, promote employment and fund social improvements that benefit the broader community.

Irish Aid, the Government's programme of assistance to the developing world, has supported the Irish Fair Trade Network since 2002, with funding allocations of €23.8 million agreed for the ten-year period 2002-2012. This includes €7.5 million agreed in 2006 for a five-year programme of support to producers in Central America which is overseen by the Irish Fair Trade Network. It also includes a grant of €15 million last year for a similar programme in Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Irish Aid has also provided considerable assistance for the development education work of the Irish Fair Trade Network. Last year, funding over three years was awarded to the Network for an awareness-raising programme which will build on its successful Fairtrade Fortnight and Fairtrade Towns initiatives.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has recently received correspondence from students at a school in Dublin requesting that funding be provided to the Irish Fair Trade Network to allow the introduction of a Fairtrade Flag scheme for schools. This is an interesting, creative proposal. As it is primarily a matter for the Network to consider in the context of its campaigning strategy, I have arranged for a copy of the correspondence received from the school to be forwarded to them.