Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2006
79 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has congratulated Mr. Daniel Ortega Saavedra on his election as President of Nicaragua; and if he will expand on Irish assistance to the project of reconstruction and poverty elevation in that country. [39523/06]
View answerThe Presidency of the European Union, on behalf of all Member States, has issued a declaration congratulating Mr. Daniel Ortega Saavedra on his election as President of the Republic of Nicaragua.
The preliminary report of the European Union Election Observation Mission found that the presidential elections had been adequately administered in a peaceful, competitive and transparent manner. Ireland provided assistance in the monitoring of these elections, with four Irish short-term observers taking part in the European Union Election Observation Mission and two Irish short-term observers assisting the monitoring mission carried out by the Carter Centre.
In 2005, Irish Aid allocated a total sum of €961,894 to development in Nicaragua under a number of civil society funding mechanisms. In cooperation with the Nicaraguan Ministry of External Relations Cooperation Secretariat, Irish Aid provided a total of €495,766 to the Capacity Building Programme for Civil Society Organisations in Nicaragua. This programme included a number of poverty reduction initiatives, among which were the promotion of fair trade access to international and national markets for small producers, funding of a mother and child health care programme aimed at reducing infant and maternal mortality, support for traditional health care facilities, management training programmes, and programmes focused on advocacy for national development and poverty reduction initiatives. In addition, Irish Aid provided a total of €154,292 to local NGOs under the Personnel Co-Financing and Partnership Fund, and allocated €311,836 from the Multi-Annual Programme Scheme in support of Trócaire's civil society and livelihood security initiatives in Nicaragua. Further funding for Nicaragua is currently under review in accordance with the commitments made in the White Paper on Irish Aid.
