Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 1 Jun 1994

Vol. 443 No. 5

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Mary Flaherty

Ceist:

26 Miss Flaherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to assist in the new democracy in South Africa; and, if so, if he will make this assistance available as quickly as possible to ensure a real difference in the lives of the many millions of people who have been oppressed under the apartheid system for many years.

Paul Bradford

Ceist:

28 Mr. Bradford asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to assist in the new democracy in South Africa; and, if so, if he will make this assistance available as quickly as possible to ensure a real difference in the lives of the many millions of people who have been oppressed under the apartheid system for many years.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

50 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the proposals, if any, he has to assist in the new democracy of South Africa; and, if so, if he will make this assistance available as quickly as possible to ensure a real difference in the lives of the many millions of people who have been oppressed under the apartheid system, for many years.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 28 and 50 together.

In its strategy plan for Irish aid the Government recognised that once a democratic government had been established in South Africa, there would be an urgent need for expanded support, especially in the fields of education and public administration. Now that the elections have taken place we are stepping up the level of assistance to South Africa. A planning mission was undertaken by officials of the Irish aid programme in April and it has been decided to assist South Africa in the following ways.

Non-Governmental Organisations: Increased funding will be made available to the NGOs, including missionaries, who have been doing vital work at the grassroots level among the black population. Projects to be assisted include the improvement of community facilities in the townships, support for clinics and housing in Soweto, and assistance with schools equipment and buildings.

Training: I am happy to report that, following consultations with the ANC to identify suitable candidates for a training programme in Ireland for administrators, 30 trainees will come to Ireland later this month for a course in public administration and management at the Institute of Public Administration.

Third level education: We will support efforts to improve the access of black people to university education. In particular we will assist the University of the North, provide support for the Independent Examinations Board and offer a number of bursaries to facilitate the enrolment of black students from deprived areas.

Local Government: Irish aid has been asked to assist in the establishment of the new provincial administrations in South Africa.

The cost of this programme of assistance, which will be administered through our Embassy in Pretoria, is likely to be of the order of a half million pounds in 1994. In addition, Ireland has played its part fully in supporting the process of democratisation through the sending of election observers and other forms of assistance.

I believe that the projects we are undertaking offer appropriate support for the transition to non-racial, democratic Government in South Africa, and I am satisfied that this support is directed where it is most needed: to enable the black majority to recover from its heavily disadvantaged position under the apartheid regime and to up-grade living conditions among the poorest sections of the community.

The allocation for this year is, of course, a medium rather than a long term measure designed to support the transition to democratic government which is currently under way. A longer term programme for South Africa will be considered in co-operation with the new democratic Government of South Africa.

John Connor

Ceist:

33 Mr. Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the assistance, if any, his Department is giving or will give to the process of establishing democratic Government in Mozambique; and the contribution Ireland's overseas development aid is making towards economic and physical reconstruction in this war-torn country.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Ireland is following closely the situation in Mozambique in the run-up to the elections, scheduled to take place on 28-29 October next. We recognise that Mozambique, as one of the poorest countries in the world, is in need of immediate assistance during the rehabilitation period and of longer-term development aid. The Government of Mozambique have particular needs at the present time because of the requirement to finance elections and to demobilise troops. The contribution which Ireland and our partners in the European Union will make to the electoral process in Mozambique is under active consideration.

In so far as development co-operation assistance is concerned, the Irish Aid Strategy Plan published in July 1993 identified Mozambique as a country in particular need of rehabilitation and development in which the possibility of establishing a full co-operation programme in the coming years should be examined. In the meantime, a budget of £600,000 has been allocated for 1994 to enable Ireland to participate in the international rehabilitation programme in Mozambique this year.

Following a visit to Mozambique in March by an Irish aid planning mission, this money has now been committed to five projects in the following areas; rural water supply, health training, rural development, de-mining and small scale fisheries. These projects will enable us to extend immediate assistance during the rehabilitation period. We will examine at a later stage the question of longer-term development aid for Mozambique.