Seán Ryan
Question:54 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether the right of access to clean water is a fundamental human right; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25247/06]
View answerThursday, 29 June 2006
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The Government's programme of development cooperation is based on our commitment to help poor countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs set a number of key, measurable development targets to be reached by 2015. The target of halving the population without access to safe drinking water or basic sanitation is one of the MDGs. This is a phenomenal challenge with 1.1 billion people, one in every six, currently without access to safe water. Additionally 2.4 billion people, two in every five, suffer indignity and disease resulting from poor sanitation.
Irish Aid, the Government's official development programme, recognises adequate water and environmental sanitation both as a fundamental right and as essential for social and economic development. Additionally we believe that they are prerequisites to the achievement of other basic rights, such as the right to health or to the achievement of equal rights for women and children, who currently bear the bulk of the burden associated with the lack of water and sanitation.
In 2005, the Government directly invested some €15 million in improving water and sanitation in sub-Saharan Africa. As the aid programme grows, we will intensify our support for programmes and projects whose objective is the provision of safe water and sanitation.