Vol. 571 No. 4
283 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans and resources in place to live up to the Government's commitment to the international education for all programme as agreed in Dakar, Sengal, in April 2000. [22075/03]
The 2000 Dakar Framework on Education for All marked a further stage in the emergence of an international consensus that education is a key element in combating poverty, empowering women, promoting human rights and democracy, protecting the environment and preventing the spread of HIV-AIDS.
In line with the Dakar Declaration the Government's programme for assistance to developing countries, Development Co-operation Ireland, which is administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, prioritises the role of education. The resources for Irish development aid programmes have increased substantially in recent years.
Regarding the situation within the State, Government policy as stated in the programme for Government and Sustaining Progress is fully in line with the Dakar Declaration and considerable progress has been made in recent years in providing additional resources to areas such as adult literacy and the improvement of access to education at all levels.
