Written Answers Nos. 49-59
51. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions and meetings he has had with other EU leaders in preparation for Ireland's Presidency of the EU in 2013. [49711/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs we approach January 2013 and Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, there has been discussion at all of my recent meetings with partners on our Presidency agenda. At all meetings I have emphasised that the main focus of the Irish Presidency will be on measures to create jobs and growth in Europe. I have also taken the opportunity to discuss the busy foreign policy agenda that Ireland, working closely with the European External Action Service (EEAS), will face during its Presidency in 2013. I have also discussed our emerging objectives in the General Affairs Council which I will chair during our Presidency.
At the beginning of October, the Taoiseach and I led the Government in a meeting with the College of European Commissioners in Brussels to discuss the emerging themes and priorities for the Presidency. We were pleased with the outcome of the meeting which confirmed that there is broad agreement between the Government and the European Commission on the principal priorities and objectives that Irish Ministers have identified for the Presidency at this stage of planning. I have also held discussions with Catherine Ashton, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, on plans for Ireland’s Presidency and in particular the Foreign Affairs Council agenda.
That same week I met Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, during his visit to Ireland. We had a useful and constructive discussion and I stressed the high importance that the Irish Government attaches to maintaining strong working relations with the European Parliament. Last month, I also met the French, Norwegian and German Foreign Ministers, the Danish European Affairs Minister and addressed a meeting of the Secretaries General of EU Foreign Ministries that was held in Dublin in advance of the Presidency. On the margins of the Tripartite Social Summit I met Vice President Šefovi and Commissioner Lewandowski. These meetings also focussed, to a large extent, on issues that will be to the fore during our Presidency. Last Friday I met the British Deputy Prime Minister where we had useful bilateral discussions on a number of issues including European issues and our forthcoming Presidency.
52. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress made to date in relation to the appointment of a chief risks officer and a professionally qualified head of finance in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50250/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department takes the issue of risk extremely seriously. A risk register is maintained by a risk group chaired by an Assistant Secretary. In addition, risk is reviewed at monthly meetings of the Management Committee. The Department also has professionally qualified staff employed in its Finance sections. The Department’s Audit Committee has nevertheless recommended that the Department appoint a dedicated Chief Risk Officer and a professionally qualified Chief Financial Officer. The Audit Committee recommends that these officers be appointed at Assistant Secretary grade. The ability of the Department to respond to this proposal has been limited by the embargo on public service recruitment necessitated by the need to reduce government expenditure.
Last June, following the publication of the Audit Committee’s most recent annual report, the Secretary General of my Department invited the Audit Committee to meet with the Management Committee to discuss these proposals. This meeting took place this week, following which the Management Committee, with my support and encouragement, accepted the recommendations of the Audit Committee. An appropriate member of the Management Committee will assume the additional responsibilities of Chief Risk Officer and sanction is being sought from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the recruitment of a professionally qualified Chief Financial Officer who will sit on the Management Committee.
53. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the type of support and assistance given relating to transparency and accountability that facilitated the recent disclosure on aid to Uganda. [50252/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland has been working for many years to assist the office of the Auditor General in Uganda. Building the capacity of key financial oversight institutions in our partner countries is an essential component of our aid programmes. In Uganda, we have increased our support to these key institutions in recent years to ensure that the systems through which Government deliver development programmes, are more accountable. In 2011, €1.3m was provided to support financial oversight institutions in Uganda, including within the Ministry of Finance, Parliament, the National Procurement Agency and the Office of the Auditor General. Ireland has been working with and assisting the office of the Auditor General as an inherent part of our programme in Uganda. The Auditor General has also visited Ireland to look at our systems of accountability. His recent report into the handling of aid funds by the Office of the Prime Minister has found that funding of €12.6 million received from Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark last year was transferred to unauthorised accounts, of which the Irish Aid component is €4 million. The support provided by Ireland has enabled the Auditor General’s Office to build the skills and capacity required for the conduct of complex investigations such as this.
While the findings of the Auditor General in this case are deeply disturbing, the fact that the Auditor General is now in a position to make them is a demonstration of the increased capacity and determination of elements within the Ugandan administration to enforce accountability for the use of government and donor money. It is only by building national accountable systems such as this that corruption can be eliminated. Depending on the decisions on the future of our development cooperation programme in Uganda I would hope to continue our assistance to the Office of the Auditor General to ensure that he has the appropriate resources to continue his essential work.
54. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Africa strategy which was announced last year; the measures in place to ensure that this strategy will work to its full potential; if any Irish business has expressed an interest in engaging with the strategy; if it will just apply to Irish Aid programme countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50231/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI launched the new Africa Strategy of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in September 2011. A progress report on its implementation was presented by the Minister of State for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., at the second Africa Ireland Economic Forum, which took place in Dublin on 22 October 2012. The progress report details the measures which have been put in place over the past year to ensure the successful implementation of the Strategy, and also outlines my Department’s plans in respect of the Strategy for the next twelve months. I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the library of the Houses of the Oireachtas. We have received strong interest from across the Irish private sector in engaging with the Africa Strategy. Representatives from 160 Irish companies attended the Africa Ireland Economic Forum on 22 October, as well as officials and business representatives from 25 African countries. The Forum featured a wide range of Irish businesses which have successfully engaged in the African market. I addressed the Forum and held discussions with many of those present, from Ireland and from Africa. My Department has also consulted widely with the private sector over the past year as part of the review of the Irish Aid White Paper, and also at a number of trade promotion events focused on Africa that we have held this year.
The Africa Strategy is being driven in Africa through our network of eleven Embassies and through our Honorary Consuls. We have also stepped up our bilateral engagements with African leaders since the launch of the Strategy, including during my visit to a number of African countries earlier this year to foster opportunities for greater economic and political cooperation. This week the Minister of State for Trade and Development is travelling on trade promotion business to South Africa and Nigeria, two markets where Irish exports increased in 2011 by 9% and 40% respectively. He will also travel with officials from Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia on the first ever trade focussed visit from Ireland to Ghana.
55. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of requests for consular assistance received by each of the State's diplomatic missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50299/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraOver the last decade, the number of Irish citizens travelling abroad has increased dramatically, there were over 6.2 million visits abroad by Irish residents in 2011. As the number of Irish citizens travelling and living abroad continues to rise, so also does the need for consular assistance and support. In 2011, this Department assisted almost 1,500 Irish citizens following serious consular emergencies overseas, including deaths, arrests, kidnaps, accidents, child abductions and hospitalisations. While Consular assistance was provided to Irish citizens in virtually every country in the world, by far the highest number of consular emergencies occurred in Spain, followed by Australia, US, Britain, Thailand, France, Portugal, Poland, Turkey, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Greece and the United Arab Emirates. The Department provided consular assistance to the families of almost 200 people who died abroad and dealt with nearly 300 cases of arrest, as well as a number of child abduction cases.
Also 2011 was an exceptionally busy year as we responded to crisis situations in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Syria as well as to the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan. Hundreds of Irish citizens and their families were advised, assisted and helped to leave these areas of conflict or natural disaster.
Ireland has 66 bilateral diplomatic and consular Missions and 96 Honorary Consuls in 58 countries around the world. Together with the Headquarters based Consular Assistance Section, they are available to provide consular assistance and advice to our citizens in need abroad and their families in Ireland.
56. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide details of the names of the non-governmental organisations that receive funding towards overseas development aid from his Department and or Irish Aid in 2011; the amount paid to each NGO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50434/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s aid programme, which is managed by Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is sharply focused on the fight against global poverty and hunger. Our partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) represents a very important element in this effort. About a quarter of Ireland’s development assistance is channelled through development Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). In accordance with the objectives of the aid programme, this funding is provided to support the long term development work carried out by NGOs in developing countries as well as emergency humanitarian assistance and development education programmes. e partnership between Irish Aid and NGOs is strategically directed with a particular focus on the poorest and most vulnerable communities.
Significant NGO recipients include Concern, Trócaire, GOAL, Self Help Africa, Irish Fair Trade Network, Christian Aid, Oxfam Ireland, World Vision, Action Aid and Plan Ireland. e main payments made to NGOs from Irish Aid funding schemes at headquarters are set out in Annex 18, pages 89-92 of the Irish Aid Annual Report 2011, which is available on the Irish Aid website. I will ensure that a copy is sent to Deputy O'Donovan .
Additional funding is provided to NGOs from the development programmes in the nine priority countries for Irish Aid where we have a commitment to long-term strategic assistance. Furthermore, a small grants programme is administered by ten Embassies accredited to countries in which Irish Aid does not have a bi-lateral development co-operation programme.
