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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Mar 2003

Vol. 562 No. 5

Written Answers - UN Population Fund.

John Bruton

Ceist:

119 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if concerns have been raised with him concerning certain aspects of the role of UNFPA. [6548/03]

I have received representations alleging that UNFPA, the UN Population Fund, has supported coercive methods of family planning in specified developing countries or has promoted abortion as a method of family planning. Many of these allegations are based on material published by the Population Research Institute, a private organisation based in the United States.

Our permanent mission to the United Nations has raised these allegations directly with UNFPA on a number of occasions. The Minister of State with responsibility for development co-operation, Deputy Kitt, has also discussed them with Mrs Thoraya Obaid, executive director of UNFPA during meetings with her in July and December last year. UNFPA also provides regular briefings to donors in response to the allegations.

We have received categorical assurances from UNFPA that it has always abided strictly by its mandate, as laid down by its governing council in 1985, which provides that UNFPA should not "provide assistance for abortions, abortion services or abortion-related equipment and supplies as a method of family planning".

Ireland completed a three-year term on the executive board of UNFPA in 2001. We partici pated directly in detailed donor discussions on UNFPA's programmes and policy and monitored UNFPA's performance. We were impressed by UNFPA's commitment to development and its support for reproductive health care in the poorest developing countries in accordance with its mandate. A number of independent investigations, over the past two years, have not found any evidence to support specific allegations relating to UNFPA's activities in China.
I believe we have a sufficient body of information available to us from all or these sources on which to from a reasonable assessment of UNFPA's operations. On the basis of that information and in the light of specific and repeated assurances from UNFPA, Ireland believes that the UNFPA abides by its mandate and is playing an important role, particularly in Africa, in helping some of the world's poorest countries to fight HIV-AIDS and to deal with the challenges of maternal and infant morality.
UNFPA is working to support the implementation of some of the key millennium development goals, including the goal of reducing the maternal mortality rate by 75% by 2015. It is therefore an important development partner for Ireland Aid.
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