Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the details of the report by the OECD peer group review on foreign aid. [5222/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Development Assistance Committee of the OECD carries out a Peer Review of member states' aid programmes, at approximately five year intervals. The Peer Review assists donors in benchmarking their aid programmes against best international practice and examines performance on the ground. Ireland's programme received a very positive Peer Review in 2003. A new Review commenced in the latter part of 2008 and is due to be completed and published in the first half of 2009.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Irish Aid has included rule of law initiatives, similar to that in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in agreed programmes with partner countries; the countries in which such initiatives are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5234/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Through Irish Aid, the Government has provided significant assistance to a number of initiatives with the objective of building the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina following the tragic conflicts in Western Balkans during the 1990s. Since 2003, Irish Aid has provided funding of almost €1 million towards the development of institutions in the justice sector in Bosnia, in partnership with Government, international organisations and Non Governmental Organisations.

Support to good governance is a priority across the Government's aid programme, both through our strategic assistance to Programme Countries and support provided through NGOs. Irish Aid will continue to support rule of law initiatives, as appropriate, in the context of programmes agreed with our partner countries and in our partnerships with NGOs and international organisations throughout the developing world.

Existing programmes include supporting and strengthening the legal and justice systems in Uganda for which Irish Aid has taken the lead role. The emphasis is on building institutions, policy and legislation, the provision of accessible legal aid, access to justice and the protection and promotion of human rights.

In Ethiopia, support is being provided to the offices of the Human Rights Commission, the Ombudsman and other institutions which support conflict resolution. Support has also been provided to a legal education project in the areas of administration of justice and human rights.

In Lesotho, Irish Aid is supporting a joint programme with the British development programme and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Funding is being provided to the Office of the Ombudsman and to the Independent Electoral Commission. We are also supporting the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission.

In Timor Leste, we are supporting the UNDP Justice Sector Strengthening Programme. The objectives are to increase access to justice through training of personnel and improving the efficiency with which court cases are processed.

Irish Aid is also supporting the International Development Law Organisation, an intergovernmental body which is working to strengthen the rule of law in the developing world.

These are just some examples of Irish Aid's support for rule of law initiatives in different regions. I can assure the Deputy that the commitment to promoting good governance in the developing world will remain one of the pillars of our aid programme.