Results 1,141-1,160 of 1,981 for speaker:Conor Lenihan

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (8 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: The humanitarian situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) remains fragile, particularly in the context of poor food security and environmental degradation. Despite some improvement in harvests in recent years, the DPRK continues to suffer widespread food shortages. Severe economic problems, particularly in the agriculture sector, and an acute energy crisis mean that...

Written Answers — Foreign Conflicts: Foreign Conflicts (8 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: Africa is at the heart of Ireland's programme of official development assistance. The complex series of factors, which contribute to the enormous needs encountered in Africa, include food insecurity, poverty, environmental degradation, weak governmental capacity and policies, unequal global trading relationships, protracted conflict, severe infrastructural weaknesses, poor governance, debt...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (8 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: HIV/AIDS continues to be the single biggest obstacle to reducing poverty and to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Current statistics from the United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) indicate that, in 2006, almost 40 million people were living with the HIV virus. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the worst-affected region in the world and is now home to over 25...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (8 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: Ireland is committed, through its overseas development assistance programme, to helping the poorest and most vulnerable people in developing countries. Across the programme, strategies are devised in close consultation with national governments and other key stakeholders to ensure that the support provided complements national poverty reduction plans and targets those most in need. These...

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: They are getting like Fidel.

Foreign Conflicts. (8 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: They are listening. They are bringing their internal procedures up to speed. Shareholdings previously managed by external fund management companies are now being brought back under the direct supervision of the National Pensions Reserve Fund. That means it will have greater control and it will be spending considerable amounts of money to ensure it is present at shareholder gatherings such...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: The Government's official programme of development assistance, Irish Aid, has as its primary aim the reduction of poverty. Africa is the primary geographic focus of Irish Aid. The White Paper on Irish Aid, published last September, sets out in the most comprehensive and detailed way, since the inception of the aid programme in 1974, the principles and policies underlying the aid programme....

Written Answers — Millennium Development Goals: Millennium Development Goals (6 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: Universal access to reproductive health is one of the goals of the Programme of Action agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994. The Government is committed to action in support of this goal which is essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and is important in tackling HIV and AIDS. Limited progress has been made since the Cairo...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (6 Feb 2007)

Conor Lenihan: Since 2000, the company concerned undertook two assignments for the Department of Foreign Affairs. In 2002, the Irish and British Governments conducted a joint review of the activities of Encounter, an organisation established by both Governments in 1983 to contribute to improved relations between the two countries. Following discussions with the British authorities, it was agreed that this...

Seanad: Irish Overseas Aid (15 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I welcome this opportunity to make a statement to the Seanad. I also welcome the Senator's initiative in raising this matter on the Adjournment. This year has been a difficult one for the Middle East and, in particular, for Palestine. The difficult and often desperate situation of the Palestinian people is of grave concern to the Government. Ireland has provided development and...

Seanad: Health Insurance (15 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: I am taking the Adjournment on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. The Minister regrets BUPA's decision to leave the Irish market and, in particular at this time, the loss of jobs resulting from that decision. The Minister, on behalf of the Government, has endeavoured to achieve a solution that would enable BUPA to stay, but would also protect the fundamental...

Order of Business. (14 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: This is the most productive Parliament in Europe.

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: They will never get to as many as Deputy Ring does.

Written Answers — Irish Overseas Aid: Irish Overseas Aid (12 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: There has been no such request to me by Irish Aid, which is a Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Neither would it be appropriate for Irish Aid to approach Comhlámh in the matter, nor has it done so. The issue of how Comhlámh wishes to organise its activities and all related administrative decisions, including the closure of the Cork office, is solely a matter for Comhlámh....

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Lesotho has a special place in the history of Ireland's official development assistance. The Lesotho aid programme, established in 1975, was our first and for many years our largest development cooperation programme. Lesotho is one of the world's poorest countries, ranked 149 on the UN Human Development Index (HDI). Half the population lives below the poverty line with an income of less...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The HIV/AIDS pandemic presents a major challenge to developing countries, especially in Africa. Children are severely affected. In sub-Saharan Africa 12 million children under the age of 17 have lost one or both parents to AIDS and it is estimated that the figure will rise to over 15 million by 2010. Children account for 14% of new global HIV infections and 18% of AIDS related deaths. In...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (6 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: While Irish Aid provides assistance through different partners in over ninety countries worldwide, the primary focus of the bilateral aid programme is on eight programme countries, six of which are in Africa and two in Asia. These are Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Timor Leste and Vietnam. The approximate budgets for each country in 2006 are as follows: ...

Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Fine Gael attacks teachers and Labour attacks public servants.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (29 Nov 2006)

Conor Lenihan: Currently Comhlámh is the recipient of substantial multi-annual funding from Irish Aid. Comhlámh carries out, with Irish Aid support, very valuable development education and volunteer-related activities in the Cork region, as it does throughout Ireland. I am aware that Comhlámh has decided to close its office in Cork at the end of this year. I am assured, however, that these activities...

Crisis in Darfur: Motion (28 Nov 2006)

Conor Lenihan: The Members who articulated this point, particularly the Green Deputies and my own party Members, have done so from well thought out idealism rather than a knee-jerk reaction to what has happened on the international landscape. It is hugely important that we should have a coherent response. As a country and as a people, we should not be placed in a position whereby a State investment agency...