Vol. 782 No. 4
6. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress that has been made to date in supporting imprisoned Irish trained doctors in Bahrain who have had their appeals rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50162/12]
I remain very concerned about the overall situation in Bahrain and the increasing divisions in Bahraini society. I condemn all acts of violence, including the recent bomb attack in Manama city which resulted in the deaths of two foreign workers. I urge the opposition to refrain from violent provocation of any kind. I have made clear in this House my view that all charges against the medical professionals should have been dropped. Given the great concerns and doubts which have surrounded the case of the medics from the start and particularly in the light of the well documented reports of ill-treatment to which many of those originally detained were subject, it is my view that the Bahraini Government should consider exercising clemency and releasing the imprisoned medical professionals. This would also be very much in the wider interests of promoting urgently needed reconciliation and national dialogue within Bahrain.
More broadly, the Government has repeatedly conveyed its concerns at every suitable opportunity to the Bahraini authorities about the human rights situation in Bahrain, including our concerns about the case of the medical professionals, as well as that of the respected human rights defender, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja. We have repeatedly raised these cases with the Bahraini ambassador in London and through our ambassador in Riyadh who is accredited to Bahrain, including after the Court of Cassation’s decision on 1 October upholding the prison sentences against the medical professionals.
Bahrain has implemented some of the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report, but renewed impetus in implementing the BICI recommendations is necessary. This would help to create an environment conducive to reconciliation and dialogue and enable reform and change to take place as a result of a consultative process. I strongly encourage the Bahraini authorities to focus on reconciliation and initiate a genuine process of dialogue and reform.
I agree with the Tánaiste that this is a serious issue. Our Oireachtas colleague, Senator Averil Power, and a former constituency colleague of yours, a Cheann Comhairle, and the Tánaiste, Mr. David Andrews, travelled to Bahrain some time ago to raise the issue. I compliment the eminent and distinguished orthopaedic surgeon in Cappagh Hospital and the Mater Hospital, Professor Damian McCormack, who has commented on the issue on numerous occasions. He has stated clearly that Irish-trained doctors have been illegally detained, tortured and convicted of the “crime” of treating injured anti-government protesters. Does the Tánaiste agree that doctors who bravely defied government orders and did their duty in treating injured protesters during anti-government rallies in Bahrain deserve the utmost assistance from the international community? Media attention seems to have drifted from Bahrain and the doctors remain under sentence. Their treatment has rightly been roundly condemned by the United Nations and many international NGOs. Will the Tánaiste consider raising the issue at European Union level? It is a serious one. Has the Tánaiste been in contact with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, the Irish Medical Organisation or the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland? Eminent medical personnel such as Professor Eoin O’Brien, as well as Dr. Ruairi Hanley from Kilskyre, County Meath, have commented on the lack of a response and action by those internationally recognised professional organisations.
I acknowledge the work done by Senator Averil Power and one of my predecessors, the former Minister, Mr. David Andrews. I met both of them in connection with their visit to Bahrain which this country has been pressing in multilateral fora to undertake human rights reforms. At the most recent session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva we raised our concerns about the grave allegations of mistreatment, amounting to the torture of detainees, documented in the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and urged Bahrain to undertake further steps to implement the full recommendations made in the report. At the previous session of the UN Human Rights Council in June Ireland made a joint statement with 26 other countries urging Bahrain to enhance its co-operation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. At Bahrain’s universal periodic review in May Ireland recommended that all decisions of the national security courts be subject to review in ordinary courts and that laws be enacted to prohibit civilians being tried in military courts in the future. We have called on the Bahraini Government to exercise clemency and release the imprisoned medical professionals. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is a private institution, but I met its chief executive some time ago to discuss the situation in Bahrain.
In regard to the meeting with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, did the Tánaiste express the view that Bahrain had a sectarian society and that the society appeared to be propping up such a society? People are discriminated against and denied jobs on the basis of their religion, yet an Irish company is operating within such a society in Bahrain. What is happening is unacceptable. Does the Tánaiste agree that, unfortunately, the situation in Bahrain is getting worse? Recently, 31 dissidents, including lawyers, MPs and academics, had their citizenship revoked. At the same time, an Irish company is stuck in the middle of it and appears to be propping up the prevailing sectarian ethos in Bahrain.
We have seen 18 months of violent suppression of the opposition in Bahrain, as well as by Britain and America. Recently, all anti-government demonstrations have been outlawed and the government has threatened to take legal action against opposition groups. I accept that the Tánaiste has called for better behaviour on the part of the Bahraini authorities, but does he consider that the European Union should become more vocal in its opposition to this behaviour? It is hardly news to anyone that there seems to be a bias in how we treat various countries according to on which side of the fence they sit, depending on whether they are with or against western powers.
There is no bias in the way in which we approach human rights issues. We regard human rights as universal and want them to be applied in an even-handed way. I am greatly concerned by the decision of the Bahraini Government to revoke the citizenship of 31 activists, including former Members of Parliament. This renders some of those concerned stateless and deprives them of their most basic rights. The decision will only serve to deepen divisions and tensions in Bahraini society.
With regard to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, it has commented publicly on numerous occasions on the case of the Bahraini medics and urged the Bahraini Government to withdraw the sentences and release the medics. It has also written to the King of Bahrain asking him to drop the charges against them. It has appeared before the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs to answer questions from members about its activities. It is important to distinguish between the involvement of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in the training of Bahraini medical personnel, which is entirely positive, and the detention of medical personnel by the Bahraini authorities. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is a private third level institution and its approach has been governed by its role as an education provider and its responsibility to its 900 plus students. I also note that the RCSI campus is the one place where Sunni and Shia students are educated together. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland strives to place the focus on educational excellence, not on ethnic difference. It has also been forthright in urging the Bahraini Government to exercise clemency in the case of imprisoned medics.
I remind Members that in taking Ordinary Questions there are six minutes available for each question – two minutes for the Minister’s initial reply and a limit of one minute on supplementary questions.
7. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is satisfied with EU action in advancing the Israel-Palestine peace process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50191/12]
The European Union has for many years asserted that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be a two-state solution, involving a sovereign state of Palestine which coexists peacefully with Israel. Ireland has contributed strongly to the development of this policy, which now commands near-consensus internationally. Regrettably, progress towards this goal has been much less satisfactory.
The European Union acts supportively in a number of ways. First and foremost, we seek to encourage and press both parties into engaging in serious direct negotiations because we recognise that this is the only way to reach a comprehensive agreement and end the occupation. Frankly, we have been disappointed by the inability to get talks restarted. The reasons are complex but, primarily, there has been little real engagement by the Israeli Government in the process. The European Union is also active in respect of specific issues on the ground which we believe are having a negative effect and threatening to make a peace agreement based on a two-state solution impossible to achieve. In May the Foreign Affairs Council issued strong conclusions, to which Ireland actively contributed, which highlighted these issues and called for urgent changes in Israeli policy. I am now pressing for a follow-up Council discussion. On the Palestinian side, the European Union is the major provider of humanitarian support for refugees and technical support and capacity-building for the Palestinian administration. Ireland plays an active role in all of these strands of engagement, including through support provided by Irish Aid.
Although the European Union has been active and consistent on this issue, I cannot be satisfied while the situation remains so frustratingly deadlocked. I believe the international community, including the Quartet, the European Union and the United States, needs to be more active and forceful.
I thank the Minister for his reply. We discussed this issue at length in the last session of Question Time. My tabling of the question was to ensure it is kept on the agenda. Will the Minister tell us at which Council meeting he hopes to have a full discussion of this matter? Will it be before the end of the year or will it go into the Irish Presidency?
It is alarming, and has been for many years, that since Israel's occupation of the West Bank began in 1967, settlements have been promoted and expanded under every Israeli Government. The figure quoted, which I understand to be accurate, is that 42% of West Bank land has been allocated to establish more than 200 settlements. The European Union is Israel's largest trading partner and therefore the notion of a ban on trade must be kept on the agenda. The Minister gave us a detailed letter following the last parliamentary question on the subject, which mentioned a degree of conflict in regard to the merit such a ban might have. Even if it is only a small measure, it is important to get the message out that a major trading bloc is seriously concerned about the ongoing impasse and the injustice that has been perpetrated on Palestinians for so long.
The Middle East peace process is discussed at almost all Foreign Affairs Council meetings. We had a discussion on it in October and another discussion took place at the informal meeting in September which focused largely on Gaza and the difficulties in that area arising from contamination, particularly of water. What I am seeking is that at some point in the coming months the Council will return to the May conclusions, review what has been taking place since then and examine certain measures that might be taken by the European Union in order to pursue these conclusions. The letter I sent to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade was intended to set this out in a comprehensive way. I believed it was desirable that the committee members should have available to them the kind of assessment that is available to me, for example, concerning the prospect of a ban on settlement products, how that might be done and how we might pursue it at EU level. There would also be an assessment of the likely impact of such a measure.
Does the Minister not accept there is no pressure on the Israeli Government? There certainly is none from the United States or the European Union, which has awarded Israel favourable trading status. As we sit in this Chamber, a massive military attack on the people of Gaza is taking place. In recent days an Israeli Minister is on record as having said that families in Gaza should have their water, food, electricity and fuel cut off as a collective punishment for resisting the Israeli invasion at the weekend. This is the Government with which we are dealing. There is no pressure. The Minister is applying pressure but there is none coming from the European Union. The situation between the Palestinians and the Israelis will not be resolved internally. There is a need for an outside power to act. What is happening is unequal. People need to wake up to the fact that things are getting worse. Life is untenable for people living in that region of the world and no pressure is being applied, unfortunately.
I am sure the Tánaiste is well aware that the Palestinians will soon be seeking support for their application for non-member observer status at the United Nations. Given that President Obama has already asked the Israelis to withdraw, a request that was refused, it is up to Europeans to apply pressure to see that fairness prevails. This is important, because it is at the core of so many of the problems of the entire region.
The attacks that have been taking place in recent days are extremely worrying. I reiterate that rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel must also stop. Israel is entitled to security for its people. Attacks of a terrorist nature from Gaza must stop, as must the attacks by Israel on Gaza. Just before I came into the Chamber to take questions, I received a preliminary report of a rocket attack by Israel on Gaza in which a senior figure in Hamas is alleged to have been killed. I have only just received this information and have not had an opportunity to get a more up-to-date report. All of this is extremely worrying.
In May the European Union issued its strongest statement to date about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in regard to the settlements. We must bear in mind that there are divergent views among the 27 member states on this issue, as was seen in the UNESCO vote last year when the European Union divided evenly three ways: nine for, nine against and nine abstentions. Securing agreement on that statement was therefore significant, and we can build on that. The European Union has a key role to play.
I have made it clear that Ireland is positively disposed towards Palestine's non-member observer status at the United Nations, but obviously we must look at the detail of the resolution and work on this. There is an opportunity in the aftermath of the American presidential election for a renewed effort to get serious peace negotiations under way.
8. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of additional staff hired for the Irish Presidency of the EU Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50180/12]
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade received a temporary reprieve from the impact of the Government’s employment control framework and was also allocated 50 temporary extra posts for 2012 and 2013 in order to enable it to plan and fulfil its EU Presidency responsibilities and activities in the first half of next year. Most of the temporary additional staff required by the Department for the Presidency are now in situ and have been assigned as appropriate. The additional staff are directly engaged in Presidency-related activities in most cases, although some have been assigned to positions vacated by experienced officers who have been redeployed to Presidency roles. Presidency responsibilities will also have varying impacts on the work of a number of the core staff of my Department at home and abroad.
At headquarters, eight staff have been redeployed to my Department from other Departments and offices, to which they are scheduled to return in summer 2013. Ten administrative and eight clerical staff have also been recruited on fixed-term contracts through the Public Appointments Service and eight interns have been recruited on the same basis directly by the Department.
Furthermore, a small number of staff have been temporarily seconded to the Department from other EU member states and from the Union's External Action Service, at no cost to the Exchequer. One retired officer has been temporarily re-engaged until July 2013.
In the context of missions abroad, the majority of Presidency-related posts have been assigned to the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels, with smaller numbers allocated to other missions including the permanent missions to the UN in New York and Geneva and those to the OSCE, the IAEA and a number of smaller international organisations in Vienna. The Presidency staffing plan for the permanent representation in Brussels was prepared following a carefully co-ordinated interdepartmental needs evaluation. Overall, the staffing of the permanent representation has been temporarily increased by 80 officers in various grades. The majority of these individuals have been assigned by other Departments and offices, at their own expense and from within their own staffing resources, with some 30 temporary administrative and clerical staff recruited locally.
I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. I take the opportunity to wish him and all his colleagues in government every success with the Presidency. Each of Ireland's presidencies of the European Union has been extremely successful. I do not doubt that this will also be the case with the forthcoming Presidency. As the Tánaiste is aware, a new troika system applies and Cyprus and Lithuania are involved in our preparations. By and large, member states are now involved with the Presidency for the 18 months immediately prior to the six-month period for which they hold it.
I welcome the allocation of additional staff to the Tánaiste's Department. The Permanent Representation in Brussels is a critical nerve centre for the entire operation. Unfortunately, many highly qualified young people do not have jobs. In that context, has provision been made in respect of the recruitment of interns? Experienced people will naturally be given pivotal roles. I presume the responsibilities of some senior officials will be reallocated when they are temporarily transferred to different positions. Perhaps their routine duties could be undertaken by interns with relevant qualifications and ability, thereby allowing them to gain valuable experience.
That is a matter of which we have been very conscious. We have taken on eight interns as part of the recruitment drive relating to the Presidency. We have also reassigned some experienced staff to various missions and consulates in order that they might carry out specific duties in the lead up to and during Ireland's Presidency. We have replaced them with temporary staff in some instances. What the Deputy describes involves moving of experienced people to positions where they can carry out Presidency duties and replacing them with specifically recruited individuals. We have done some such recruitment.
That is welcome.
9. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps that have been taken to stay connected with participants in the Global Irish Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50185/12]
26. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress that has been made since the initiation of the Global Irish Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50184/12]
28. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps that have been taken to measure the economic impact of the Global Irish Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50187/12]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 26 and 28 together.
Since coming to office in March 2011 I have repeatedly stated my belief that the Diaspora can make a meaningful contribution to Ireland’s economic recovery. The Global Irish Network is a central element of the Government’s engagement with the Diaspora in support of our economic goals. On 26 October 2012 last I published the 12-month progress report on the forum which can be viewed on www.globalirishforum.ie. The Deputies will wish to note that the Comptroller and Auditor General reviewed the forum in his report of September 2011. The close alignment of the forum’s outcomes with key Government objectives, including the Action Plan for Jobs, has ensured that significant progress has been made in respect of all the key outcomes. The report clearly demonstrates the ability of the network to deliver real, tangible economic benefits for the Irish at home and abroad in priority areas such as job creation, inward investment, support for the SME and export sectors and enhancing our international reputation. In addition, we have been able to leverage the expertise and experience of the network in the agrifood and education sectors, all of which can benefit from enhanced partnership between the State’s agencies and the Diaspora.
Progress is reported in the report in respect of a number of areas, including the establishment of the global Irish contacts programme, which directly links the Diaspora with Irish companies seeking to achieve international growth and to which 100 participants have signed up; Global Irish Network members across the globe are working with the tourism promotion agencies to promote The Gathering Ireland 2013 overseas and organising diaspora-related events in Ireland such the Spar international annual conference in Killarney and the "Silicon Valley Comes to Ireland" event in Cork in January 2013; the launch of ConnectIreland, which aims to create 5,000 jobs in the next five years - approximately 300 companies have been suggested to ConnectIreland from people all over the world since the initiative was launched in March 2012; directly facilitating job creation through the hosting of an "Invest in Ireland" round-table event with former President Clinton in New York and Dublin to coincide with the Navy versus Notre Dame American football game; 130 forum participants registered to become advocates for Ireland in sectors such as foreign direct investment, FDI, support for exporters, tourism, and culture; greater involvement of local network members in the planning and organising of trade missions in their respective regions - these members were involved in the "Invest in Ireland" round-table event in New York in February, the Taoiseach’s visit to China and all other Enterprise Ireland organised trade missions in 2012; and the expansion of the Farmleigh fellowship programme in Asia. Some 45 fellows will have completed the latter by the end of 2012.
The establishment of the Global Irish Network was an innovative and ambitious undertaking by my Department that has given far greater strategic direction and coherence to the manner in which the Government engages with our most senior Irish contacts across the globe. In addition to contributing to initiatives such as the global Irish contacts programme, The Gathering and ConnectIreland, the network has proved to be particularly effective as a source of structured advice from key players in priority markets and sectors and within multinational companies. The programme has also facilitated high level access for the Government and Irish companies to decision-makers in major corporations.
In response to the strong wish among participants to be kept fully informed of developments, the Taoiseach and I now issue regular e-newsletters to them. These short e-mails update network members on economic developments in Ireland and the progress being made in respect of the forum's outcomes. I also established the advisory group of the Global Irish Network, which includes 19 members of the network from each of the main geographic areas represented at the 2011 forum. This group is charged with reviewing progress on the forum outcomes, co-ordinating the overall work programme for the Global Irish Network and working with our ambassadors in keeping the wider network informed of developments. Its first meeting took place in Dublin on 11 July.
I hosted a meeting of European network members at the Embassy of Ireland in Berlin on 26 October. This meeting brought together participants based in continental Europe, Russia and Turkey and provided an opportunity to examine the specific economic challenges and opportunities that exist for Ireland in the region and obtain their views on how the network can contribute to our goals.
I thank the Tánaiste for his detailed reply. The Global Irish Forum is an extremely worthwhile body. It was established relatively recently. To the best of my recollection, its first meeting took place at the end of September 2009 when Deputy Micheál Martin was Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Gathering, ConnectIreland and the other specific initiatives to which the Tánaiste referred are also extremely worthwhile. As he indicated, the Irish Diaspora is not confined to London, Birmingham, Coventry, New York, Boston or wherever. Its members are located in other cities in many other countries on different continents. We have important connections with those to whom I refer and these must be nurtured. We must maintain constant contact with the Diaspora.
One matter to which we often understandably refer is the importance of foreign direct investment. Outward direct investment is also important. Many Irish indigenous companies have grown to become multinational corporations. There is no longer that big a difference between the number of American people employed by Irish companies operating in the United States and the number of Irish people employed by US companies operating here. The fora to which the Tánaiste referred are all important in the context of maintaining opportunities for foreign direct investment into Ireland and outward direct investment from here, underpinning the process of networking and facilitating real engagement. Such engagement should not just take the form of getting together once a year, it should also involve ongoing contact that can enable the creation of additional business that will be of benefit to Irish people at home and abroad.
We have developed this network quite considerably since the initial meeting which took place in Farmleigh in 2009 and which was convened by my predecessor, Deputy Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil. As the Deputy noted, the network has great potential. The flow of investment is a two-way process. Approximately 100,000 Irish people are directly employed in American companies investing in Ireland. What is not so well known is that approximately 85,000 American people are employed in Irish companies investing in the United States. The same applies to our trade with Britain which currently is worth about €1 billion a week.
The forum is enabling us to access leaders in the corporate sector and leaders in communications and education. It has been a very successful network and we are examining ways in which it can be developed further. This morning, I had a meeting with a delegation from the United States comprised of senior advisers to Secretary of State Clinton. Because they want to develop the American diaspora and network they are interested in working closely with us because they recognise that we have done pioneering work in this area. The Global Irish Network is very much a pioneering forum for developing a network of people around the world which will be to our advantage. These are Irish, well placed people with an attitude of goodwill towards this country.
It is important to ensure the members of the Diaspora feel part of this development. Their views and ideas need to be taken on board. It is surprising that it is only a recent initiative because members of the Irish Diaspora always ask about home. They are willing to help out. The initiative has been slow in its initial phase but it has potential. However, this needs to be a long-term policy to be continued by future Governments. So many people consider themselves part of the Irish story and they want to help. There should be a role for these people in the future development of the economy.
The population of the State is approximately 4.6 million, according to the last census. Approximately 70 million people throughout the world claim Irish heritage and there are 40 million people in the United States. It is a huge network. The traditional events such as St. Patrick's Day events are very important and they gather a big catchment of people.
We have involved people who are well placed in the world of business and it has a number of advantages for us. These are people who sit on the boards of directors of companies considering investment decisions. Very often it is the Irish connection that turns the key decision our way. Opportunities for trade are opened up. Ireland is an exporting country which exports 80% of everything it produces. Having people with an attitude of goodwill towards this country who can open doors for companies and help to develop new markets is very important.
Ireland has a joint economic commission with Russia which deals with trade. The education sector is a growing market in Russia and also in Brazil. The President visited Brazil accompanied by the Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello. An agreement was concluded to bring 5,000 students from Brazil to Ireland to participate in education in our universities. The potential is endless. I am committed to expanding our reach among the diaspora. I want to mobilise the Diaspora to help the country, particularly at an economically difficult time. There is a great level of goodwill for this country among the members of the Irish Diaspora and it would be a great mistake not to harness it.
10. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if, in view of the approach Norway, Sweden and Denmark took to the misappropriation of bi-lateral aid in Uganda, if he discussed Ireland’s decision to suspend aid to Uganda pending an investigation with these states. [50108/12]
24. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to date in response to the revelation about the misappropriation of Irish Overseas Development Aid to Uganda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50167/12]
39. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the role of the Ugandan Auditor-General’s office in uncovering the misappropriation of Irish Aid funding, his plan to increase public awareness of Irish Aid’s policies on aid accountability and transparency. [50103/12]
44. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his future plans for aid to Uganda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50170/12]
50. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the Ugandan Government will repay the €4 million owed to Irish Aid which had been transferred to unauthorised accounts; the way he is reviewing the current mechanisms in place to allocated Irish Aid moneys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49972/12]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 24, 39, 44 and 50 together. I am deeply concerned about the recent misappropriation of Irish development funding in Uganda. Ireland has no tolerance for fraud or any other form of financial irregularity with regard to our development programme.
I have suspended approximately €16 million of Irish development assistance which was due to be channelled through the Government of Uganda in 2012. I initiated an immediate investigation into the misappropriation of funds by the Office of the Prime Minister. This investigation has been undertaken by a team from the evaluation and audit unit of my Department and it will report shortly. I have also emphasised that Irish funding must be repaid by the Ugandan Government and that all necessary actions must be taken by the Ugandan authorities to pursue those guilty of this crime.
This fraud was uncovered by the Auditor General of Uganda who carried out a special investigation into the handling of Irish aid funds by the Office of the Prime Minister. Ireland has been working with and assisting the Office of the Auditor General as an inherent part of our programme of building institutions which make governments accountable. The Auditor General has found that funding of €12.6 million received from Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark last year was transferred to unauthorised accounts, of which the Irish Aid component is €4 million.
The independence and strength of the Auditor General is a clear sign of Ugandan Government accountability systems working well and the importance of supporting this work. While the findings of the Auditor General in this case are deeply disturbing, the fact that the Auditor General is now in a position to make these findings is a demonstration of the increased capacity and the determination of elements within the Ugandan administration to enforce accountability as to the use of government and donor money. It is only by building such national accountable systems that corruption can be eliminated.
Our ambassador in Kampala and the director general of Irish Aid met with the Prime Minister of Uganda, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Finance and Economic Development of Uganda, to underline my deep concerns and to insist that the misappropriated funds be restored by the Ugandan authorities. The Ugandan Government have since confirmed that all Irish Aid misappropriated funds will be reimbursed, that the officials against whom financial impropriety has been established will be fully prosecuted and that measures will be undertaken to tighten the internal controls. I welcome this commitment. I have directed our ambassador to work with the Ugandan authorities to ensure the misappropriated funds are restored. The suspension of funding channelled through the Government of Uganda remains in place until this matter is resolved.
Senior officials of my Department have been in close contact with their opposite numbers in Denmark and Sweden since the publication of the Auditor General’s report. There has also been significant communication between Ireland’s ambassador in Kampala and the ambassadors of all three Nordic countries. Denmark, Sweden and Norway suspended funding through government systems.
I emphasise that Irish funding is not given to the Ugandan Government to spend as it sees fit. Rather, it is to complement programmes in key social, health and education sectors as agreed with Irish Aid. Funding social programmes through government systems is an important tool in achieving strong results and empowering national governments to deliver and take ownership of the provision of sustainable services in the long term.
Our aid programme in Uganda is regularly examined and evaluated in order to ensure we achieve effectiveness and value for money. However, it is clear that notwithstanding all the checks and balances the funding of programmes through governments in developing countries can be very challenging, as demonstrated in this case. I am committed to ensuring that we learn lessons from this case in order to strengthen our systems of risk identification, management, monitoring and audit so as to minimise potential for any misuse of funds in the future. I will continue to ensure our development funding is directed to the poorest and most vulnerable in the countries where we provide funding and that it represents the best value for money for the Irish taxpayer. We are working to have Irish funds restored as quickly as possible. We will continue to put pressure on the Ugandan authorities to ensure this happens quickly. The impact of this funding crisis has brought us to a crossroads in our long-standing historic relationship with Uganda. We must now reflect on how we move forward so as to ensure that money given by the Irish people is fully protected while still offering hope and assistance to some of the most vulnerable peoples of the world living in northern Uganda.
The Minister's answer was very comprehensive. We discussed this matter earlier. I was interested in hearing about the connection we have with various countries on this matter. It appeared at the time in question Ireland was acting unilaterally. The Minister stated there was constant toing and froing by officials. They did seem to adopt a different approach. It has certainly worked in respect of Ireland and we have got the response we wanted.
Yesterday, the anti-homosexuality Bill currently before the Ugandan Parliament was referred to. This is linked to the issue of funding. In this regard, the Minister's comments at the meeting yesterday are pertinent. We are all anxious to promote human rights and are concerned about the impact of the anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda, where it is threatened that homosexuals will be jailed for life. Are we going to link the possible resumption of funding with developments regarding the legislation?
Many of the officials from Irish Aid believed just one person seemed to be pushing the legislation. The Minister stated yesterday he raised the matter very strongly and that he was in Uganda last year. Will he raise concerns about the Bill again? Does the Irish Government have any plans to open discussions, to hold workshops or to have interaction with communities on gay rights and LGBT issues in Uganda? Does the Minister envisage a role for Irish Aid in discussions in this regard? If the legislation is passed in Uganda, what action will the Irish Government take? The proposed legislation is a worrying development and a negative step. What it represents is certainly a million miles from where we are coming as a society. What is going to happen is unacceptable and will have implications for our involvement in Uganda.
As I stated in reply to this and previous questions, all aid from Ireland distributed through the Ugandan Government has now been suspended, and will remain so. We are at a crossroads in our relationship with the Ugandan Government. I am pleased the auditor general identified the misappropriation of funds and that we have a commitment from the Ugandan authorities to repay in full the money that was misappropriated. I will have to reflect on the future direction of our aid programme in so far as moneys are channelled through the Ugandan Government. Before doing so, I will examine the audit and evaluation report that has been prepared.
Even if we had never had a problem with the aid programme, we would raise the issue of the legislation on gay people that is before the Ugandan Parliament. I was in Uganda during the summer and took the opportunity to raise the issue at the highest level, namely, with the President of Uganda. I expressed my concern over the legislation that was being passed. At that point, it was not clear whether the legislation would be passed or who would support it. I believe the legislation began as Private Members' legislation. As one will appreciate, a Government is not always responsible for Private Members' legislation. We raised the matter with the Ugandans and we have been keeping an eye on it. Irrespective of the direction we take with our aid programme in Uganda, we will continue to raise the human rights dimension with the Ugandan authorities.
11. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is committed to the millennium development goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50173/12]
The millennium development goals were agreed by world leaders at the United Nations in 2000 as the framework for international development policy up to 2015. They provide a clearly measurable way to track progress in the fight against global poverty. The goals are central to Ireland’s overseas development programme, and to the Government’s development policy. As we approach 2015, it is clear that progress on the goals has been mixed. As a result of the scaling up of development assistance, and the partnership which we and other donors have built with Governments and communities in the developing world, the targets set in some vital areas will be met by 2015. For instance, the overall extreme poverty rate will be halved, as will the proportion of people without access to clean drinking water. Considerable progress has been made in education, especially enrolment at primary level, and in addressing the HIV-AIDS pandemic. However, less positively, some targets remain significantly off-track, notably in the areas of maternal health and maternal mortality, access to sanitation and the fight against extreme hunger, which is a central priority of Ireland’s aid programme. It is imperative that the entire international community strengthen and accelerate its efforts to achieve the remaining targets by 2015.
Next September, the UN General Assembly will hold a major political meeting to review progress in advance of 2015 and open substantive debate on the framework for international development after that date. During Ireland’s EU Presidency in the first half of 2013, we will focus on the preparation for the UN meeting, commencing with a major discussion at an informal meeting of EU Development Ministers, to be hosted by the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, in Dublin in early February. I look forward to working with our EU partners to develop the strongest possible EU contribution for the UN discussions, and to highlight the actions needed internationally to make maximum progress in the fight against poverty and hunger by 2015.
I thank the Minister for his reply. I hope we can make progress on this issue during the Irish Presidency. We have a proud history of supporting developing countries in some of the most impoverished regions in the world. In the past 15 to 20 years, in particular, this has been achieved through Government funding. Before that, it was achieved through our missionaries, both lay and religious. At a time when there is negative publicity over developments in Uganda, it is important to reiterate to the Irish taxpayer the considerable benefits that accrue to recipients of Irish development aid in various regions. It is important that this message be got across, particularly when households are facing particular challenges.
This year the overseas development aid programme of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was worth approximately €639 million, which is 0.5% of GNP. I assume the Minister will not confirm this evening that this figure will be the same for 2013. It is important, however, that we do everything to achieve the UN target by 2015. Despite the challenges, it is important that our overseas development aid programme be maintained at the highest possible level.
In terms of our historic experience as a country, the Famine had a huge impact on our collective memory. We have always had a strong empathy with people and countries facing famine, hunger and poverty. There are almost 1 billion people living in the world who are undernourished and lack basic nutrition. Our aid programme is literally saving lives. It is helping to feed hungry people and ensuring that babies and young children survive the critical first 1,000 days. That is an initiative we took jointly with the United States which has now been mainstreamed, namely, the Scaling Up Nutrition movement. I refer to the work we have done as a country in saving lives and rescuing people from the scourge of the HIV-AIDS pandemic and the work we are doing in providing basic education and health services, building on the heroic work done by religious missionaries over the decades. We have a great record in that regard and Irish people have shown great generosity time and again, even in difficult times, when we see humanitarian crises in different parts of the world.
We are committed to the 0.7% target, and it is critically important that we keep that target firmly in sight. However, we must be realistic about our prospects of achieving it in the current economic circumstances. The level of aid for next year will be a budget matter but we can be proud of the fact that in difficult times as a country we have maintained our faith and commitment with the poorest people of the world.
I agree with the Minister on the substantial progress made. I recall one of the Minister's predecessors, Brian Cowen, saying when we won one of the rotating seats on the UN Security Council some years ago that we had people willing to support us based on the Irish contribution to their countries over many years.
The Minister said that 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night. I read some commentary recently in which that figure was revised downwards. When he has an opportunity he might instruct his officials to find out the best estimate for that figure. However, regardless of what the figure is, we all deplore the fact that so many people are hungry when so much wealth is lost under the many different regimes. I ask the Minister to ensure that is addressed through the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.
There are different agencies working in this area and there is a great transfer of knowledge from this country. At yesterday's meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade we had an informal meeting with a delegation from the Congo during which its representatives told us about their very rich farmland. That is a country where there has been protracted conflict resulting in the deaths of more than 5 million people in a relatively short period. At the same time, its rich resources are not being utilised. There is a huge task ahead and I wish the Minister well in every forum available to him and urge him to use the Presidency of the EU Council to keep these issues on the agenda. As he rightly said, we are all conscious of what our country suffered, and for those of us who come from parishes where workhouses were located, and the graveyards are located still, it is a constant reminder of what our previous generations experienced.
I will arrange for my Department to circulate a brief paper on the figure for hunger and lack of nutrition. I was drawing a distinction between going to bed hungry and nutrition, but we can circulate information on it.
It is important for us to remember that our aid programme is the right thing to do. It fits in with our values as a people but it is also opening up doors and opportunities for us. Let us consider what is now happening in Africa. Seven of the ten fastest-growing economies in the world are in Africa and our record of aid in that continent is now enabling us to open up trade opportunities in those countries. That is the reason we developed the Africa strategy, which is examining the major potential of Africa from a trade point of view. One of the initiatives we took this year, for example, was undertaken jointly my Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and I worked with the Minister, Deputy Coveney. We have now introduced a programme which is operating in Kenya and Tanzania involving the private food sector here. It is exploring opportunities for developments in the agrifood sectors in Kenya and Tanzania.
With regard to where this is going, our aid programme is a generous expression of our assistance to African countries and other poor countries, but in many cases we are now moving from aid to trade. Regarding the potential in terms of food, natural resources, education and the development of services, Africa is growing rapidly economically and our presence there through our aid programme is opening up opportunities for trade and investment, as well as opening doors for Irish companies to develop their trade with Africa. That is giving rise to much new economic potential. People who question, from a selfish point of view, whether we should be providing aid and the amount of aid we should be providing should consider its potential to open doors in terms of trade and think in the longer term rather than thinking only as far as the next budget or the budget after that.
The Tánaiste might conclude.
Am I already into overtime?
The Tánaiste is.
I thought I should have been finished a while ago but I was too polite to say it.
The Tánaiste has built up enormous Chamber credit.
I am 15 minutes over time.
I appreciate it, and the replies were well worth hearing.
I thank the Acting Chairman. I am delighted to hear that and that the Minister for Health has entered the Chamber to relieve me.
I was waiting patiently outside. I was equally intrigued by the responses.
The Acting Chairman just kept calling the questions.
