30 Mar 2012, 15:41
The Leas Cheann Comhairle, Mr Michael Kitt TD will lead the Irish delegation to the 126th Inter- Parliamentary Union Assembly which will be held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala from 31St March-5TH April 2012. The delegation will depart on Sunday 1st April and will arrive in Kampala on Monday 2nd April. The Leas Cheann Comhairle will be joined by Deputies John Lyons, Nicola McFadden and Peter Mathews and Senator Katherine Zappone. They will join some 650 legislators from over 120 Member Parliaments of the IPU.
Participants at this year’s assembly will focus on the overall theme of Parliaments and people: Bridging the gap. Parliamentarians will also vote on the inclusion of an emergency debate on the situation in Syria calling for an end to the violence and human rights abuses there.
Other items on the agenda for discussion include tackling malnutrition in young children; making the law work in the response to AIDS; access to health for women and children as a basic right and health services at times of conflict; disaster-risk reduction and sustainable development and the launch of a global survey jointly produced by IPU, World Bank and IMF on the parliamentary oversight of loan agreements, an issue of particular importance to developing countries and transition economies and relevant to much of the IPU membership.
The delegation will also visit an Irish Aid Project, Mulago Hospital where it will see first hand how Irish Aid funding is being used to support people living with HIV and Aids in Uganda.
Full details on the IPU agenda can be found at : http://www.ipu.org/conf-e/126agnd.htm
ENDS/
Further Information:
Verona Ní Bhroinn
Press and Public Relations Officer,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas Service,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
01-618 3881, 087 2624132