Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 July 2012
24 Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if Irish Aid provide funding to Irish aid organisations which have supported programmes for population planning in countries where they operate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35958/12]
View answerThe Government's aid programme, managed by Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is strongly focused on the fight against poverty and hunger and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The fifth of these Goals focuses on reducing maternal mortality and achieving universal access to reproductive health, including ante-natal care and family planning services. Ireland has a strong track record of support for the provision of family planning services for women in developing countries, through our funding and policy work with global initiatives and our engagement at country level through government health sectors. Irish Aid also provides support for the complementary work of NGOs to increase access to family planning services.
We believe that investing in health, including sexual and reproductive health, and in education for women and girls is fundamental to managing the challenges posed by a rapidly expanding world population. Reflecting this priority, in 2010 Ireland provided a total of some €145 million in funding for the health and education sectors in our nine priority countries and through global level partnerships. Since 2006, Ireland has provided almost €30 million in support of the UN Population Fund's reproductive, maternal health and family planning programmes. Irish Aid provides funding for family planning services in a wide range of developing countries, including, Bolivia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.
Ireland's aid programme is strongly focused on sub-Saharan Africa, where the challenge of population growth is acute. In Ethiopia, for instance, our support for the Health Extension Programme has seen impressive growth in the uptake of contraception in rural areas. In both Tanzania and Mozambique, Irish support for the health sector has contributed to better delivery of district level reproductive health care. In Lesotho, in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative, we have contributed to improved access to family planning by women living in very remote mountain villages.
Irish Aid will continue to support organisations that are focused on reducing maternal mortality and promoting universal access to reproductive health, including ante-natal care and family planning services.
