Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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421. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding the Government’s strategy for Ireland's involvement in international development co-operation as laid out in One World One Future and the recent publication of an implementation plan on same by Irish Aid, the reason the framework for action makes no reference to disability; the work being supported by Irish Aid in this area; the way in which persons with disabilities will now feature in the country programmes that Irish Aid has agreed with the Governments of its partner countries and NGOs; if he believes that the inclusion of persons with disabilities is a key strategy for achieving the millennium development goals by their 2015 deadline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37835/14]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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The Government’s Policy for International Development, One World, One Future, highlights Ireland's clear commitment to addressing the rights and needs of vulnerable people, including those with disabilities. Human rights and accountability form one of six priority areas for action. The aim is to ensure that principles including non-discrimination, equality, empowerment and participation are integrated across all our development efforts. In this way, we aim to contribute to the fulfilment of our international human rights commitments, including in the area of disability.

The recently released Framework for Action for One World, One Future aims to ensure effectiveness and accountability in achieving these policy commitments. To better address the rights of those with disabilities, the Framework identifies the need for the Government’s overseas development programme – Irish Aid – to address the needs of the most vulnerable and consistently address inequalities in policy and programming. It also identifies the need for a sustained focus on access to services, with a sharpened focus on reaching the most marginalised.

Through the Irish Aid programme there has and will continue to be a strong focus on addressing the needs of vulnerable groups. We have provided support to a wide range of Irish-based NGOs, including Plan, Sightsavers, Christian Blind Mission, Children in Crossfire, to undertake work that specifically benefits people with disabilities.

Throughout our Partner Country programming there is also a strong focus on disability. In Mozambique, Irish Aid is supporting NGOs to implement a project entitled “Living without Limits”. In Vietnam, disability is one of the focus areas for Irish Aid’s ‘Civil Society Facility’. Under our Partnership Programme with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a priority area of focus is on assisting people with disabilities and advocating on disability legislation in Africa. Irish Aid support has facilitated access for women entrepreneurs with disabilities into mainstream women’s entrepreneurship activities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

At the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly, Ireland called for an ambitious Post 2015 framework that can drive efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development, reflecting the rights and priorities of the almost 1 billion people currently living with disabilities. Ireland has successfully advocated for better and more disaggregated data, including for disability, to ensure that the Post 2015 agenda 'leaves no one behind'. Such data can facilitate a clearer understanding of the relationship between disability and poverty and the barriers that disabled people face in fully participating in economic life.

These represent just some examples of the Government’s commitment to addressing the needs of people with disabilities. Through the implementation of One World, One Future and the associated Framework, the Irish Aid programme will continue to be strongly focused on supporting policies and programmes that eliminate exclusion, thus ensuring that the most vulnerable have access to essential services and opportunities throughout the developing world.