Reply By Minister of State, Tom Kitt T. D.

The minister's reply to a parliamentary question regarding the proposal to ring fence a percentage of Irish ODA for Centers for Independent Living in developing countries, Thursday, 18 th of December, 2003.

The government through its overseas development assistance programme provides considerable resources to address the basic needs of developing countries, including in health and education sectors.

At the multilateral level, the Government contributes to a number of UN bodies involved in the promotion of human rights and development. For example, Ireland is a major donor to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In 2002, we contributed 2.539 million euro to this office, of which 250,000 was earmarked fro work in the area of HIV/AIDS, gender and disability. In 2002 we allocated 200,000 to research by the Office on the rights of people with disabilities.

At the International Labour Organisation, Ireland is supporting a multi-annual programme focused on disability and the workforce. The ILO, with assistance from Ireland, is developing a range of activities to support small enterprise training targeted at women with disabilities.

With our support, the ILO is also undertaking a systematic examination of the range of laws in place in developing countries to promote employment opportunities for disabled people. Based on this research, the ILO will provide advice to governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations on policy, legislation and programmes relating to people with disabilities.

At the bilateral level, the Government supports development co-operation programmes in sub-Saharan and in Timor Leste. Our development cooperation in these countries has moved away from specific stand-alone projects and towards pooled donor funding in support of health and education systems. This sector-wide approach to development co-operation is in line with international best practice. It means that we are basing our assistance on our partner countries’ national health and education strategies rather than on a donor-driven development agenda.

The specific needs of people with disabilities are more likely to be addressed if they are integrated into broad nationally owned health and education strategies, rather than dealt with through a stand-alone ring-fenced fund. Development Co-operation Ireland, through its close dialogue with partner Governments in the development of national health and education programme, and through its funding of these sectors, is in a strong position to advocate fro national policies to focus on the needs of people with disabilities.

In some cases the Government, thorough its funding of non-governmental organisations and missionaries, has allocated specific funding for projects to support people with disabilities. For example, Development Cooperation is providing 457,000 fro a project to support independent living and full civic participation of disabled people in Serbia. The project, which is being implemented by the Catholic Relief Services and a local NGO, the Center for Independent Living will assist in the training of Personal Assistants who will when facilitate and independent lifestyle for disabled people.

In many developing countries, conflict and is aftermath have left many thousands of non-combatants seriously disabled, particularly by landmines. Ireland is funding the clearing of landmines and has also funded efforts to assist those disabled by mines to rebuild lives and livelihoods.

The needs of people with disabilities are recognized both at the multilateral and bilateral levels in the government’s officials programme of development assistance. The government will continue to place a strong emphasis on this issue as it works in partnership with developing countries to fight poverty and social inclusion.

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Reply By Minister of State, Tom Kitt T. D.

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