Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the proposed displacement of the Masai tribes from their grazing lands in Tanzania; and if he raised concern with the UN that this appears to be proposed in order to accommodate unsustainable hunting tourism. [16883/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The issue of land rights for pastoralist communities in Tanzania such as the Maasai is complex. It is something I take very seriously. Our Embassy in Tanzania, working with other EU Member States and UN agencies, is closely monitoring the situation and continues to raise the need for all parties, including the Government and the local community, to deal with the issue through open dialogue and constructive engagement. Ireland has made a significant contribution to development and the fight against poverty in Tanzania. In the past decade, Tanzania has recorded improvements in human development, as measured by the UN Human Development Index. This progress, which has been made with Irish support and support from other donors, is a strong example of the success of international development assistance when delivered in partnership with a developing country Government. However, positive development results and respect for human rights must go hand in hand. Ireland remains strongly committed to helping build good governance and the rights of the most vulnerable in Tanzania and elsewhere, and this will remain a clear priority of our development assistance programme.