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Sustainable Development Goals

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 February 2019

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Questions (12)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Question:

12. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on extending the memorandum of understanding between the HSE and Irish Aid operating in relation to Sub-Saharan African countries to Nepal as a low income Asian country with poor health indicators; and his further views on the need for extending this collaboration. [9690/19]

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Written answers

Through Ireland's International Development Cooperation programme, recognised as one of the best in the world, my Department prioritises and invests in addressing global health challenges and in strengthening health systems. We work through global health initiatives as well as through our bilateral programmes.

My Department has worked closely with the Health Service Executive (HSE) since 2010 guided by a Memorandum of Understanding. This partnership is based on shared values, and is intended to facilitate the transfer of Irish expertise and technical knowledge. Actions are triggered in response to requests from Ireland's development cooperation partners, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, but also in Nepal. The partnership is a demonstration of collaborative work across different branches of the civil and public service which allows Ireland to address important global and national health challenges.

As part of the collaboration with the HSE, my Department provides funding to the ESTHER Programme. This programme works to promote institutional health partnerships through knowledge generation, sharing best practice, collaboration, and advocacy. Nepal is a beneficiary of this programme and the HSE has already established institutional partnerships there.

My Department will continue to work closely with the HSE in advancing our shared international health objectives, guided by the Sustainable Development Goals and Ireland's forthcoming new policy for International Development.

The current Memorandum of Understanding governing the partnership between my Department and the HSE will be reviewed in the coming year. This will provide an opportunity to take stock of almost 10 years of close collaboration and to agree the future focus and extent of this collaboration.

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