Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

348. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the Government has been approached to provide funding for a programme (details supplied); the position of the Government on this issue if approached; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5952/17]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 23 January, the US President signed an Executive Order reinstating the so-called ‘Mexico City Policy’. Ireland shares the concern of many partner countries in terms of the potential negative impact on organisations which provide a range of maternal health services and reproductive health care including basic family planning services in developing countries.

In relation to the specifics of the question, my Department has had contact with the Netherlands to exchange views on these concerns; the Dutch government has confirmed that it is not establishing a new fund.

Maternal and reproductive health in Africa and elsewhere is a priority focus for our aid programme and is also critical to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Almost 20% of the Irish Aid budget is invested in global health and HIV programmes. In 2016, for instance, we provided almost €12 million in funding to UN organisations to support a range of programmes to improve maternal and reproductive health. We also provided some €32 million in health sector programmes in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe. These focus on a range of services including the expansion of maternal and reproductive health services, the provision of training for midwives and the distribution of medical supplies.