Dick Spring
Ceist:109 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government will provide funding to support the Rotary International Programme, A World Without Polio. [16750/97]
Written Answers - Polio Eradication.
Seán Power
Ceist:114 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the information, if any, he has received from Rotary International; and if so, if he will make a donation to their international health effort to eradicate polio. [16872/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 114 together.
I have received direct representations from Rotary International in this matter, and have responded that I would be happy to consider an application for funding under the NGO cofinancing scheme under the Irish aid programme. This scheme gives priority to applications for projects which meet the basic needs of the poorest sections of the population in categories such as primary education, primary health care, water, sanitation, urban and rural development and vocational training.
I fully recognise the importance of the international campaign for the eradication of polio, with its aim of ending the tragic impact of this crippling disease on the lives of millions of children, particularly in developing countries. The Department already contributes to this campaign through its annual voluntary contribution to the United Nations' World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO, which is the leading international organisation in the field of health, plays a central role in assisting developing countries to strengthen their national health programmes and also promotes research aimed at controlling specific diseases, including polio. It has been operating a global campaign against polio since 1988, aimed at the eradication of polio by the year 2000 and based on a strategy of surveillance and immunization.
The Department has made a voluntary contribution of £525,000 to the WHO in 1997, of which £250,000 was allocated between the WHO's global programme of vaccination, its emerging and communicable diseases programme and its essential drugs programme, all of which are directly involved in the WHO's campaign against polio.
This voluntary contribution is in addition to Ireland's annual membership contribution to the World Health Organisation, which is paid by the Department of Health and which totalled £547,856.77 in 1997. The Department of Health also funds the fight against polio at the national level.
Rotary International is to be commended on its initiative in support of the international health effort to eradicate polio by the year 2000.