FIND JOESPH KONY

Question No. 56

 

Parliamentary Question – Dept Details

 To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps taken by him to assist the international endeavour to bring a person (details supplied) before the International Criminal Court; if he will raise the matter with the US authorities regarding their continued military support for this endeavour; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

- Michael Creed.

 

* For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 21st March, 2012.

Ref No:

 15692/12

　REPLY

I am greatly concerned that Joseph Kony remains at large in Central Africa and has not been held to account for the atrocities which he and his so-called “Lord’s Resistance Army” (LRA) are reported to have committed over two decades in Northern Uganda and the wider region.

Recent publicity has raised international public awareness of the appalling violence carried out by this group over many years. In 2005,

the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Joseph Kony and other leaders of the LRA on 33 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes. These are charges of the utmost gravity, and it is essential that Mr. Kony appear before the Court to answer them. We strongly support the work of the International Criminal Court in seeking to bring Mr. Kony and his collaborators to justice. Ireland, both directly and as a member of the European Union, provides ongoing support, including funding, for the Court and for its work. This year, our contribution towards the running costs of the Court will amount to some €800,000. Ireland has also made voluntary contributions to Trust Funds that support the work of the Court. Since 1995, €40 million has been provided from the EU budget to support the Court and related international criminal justice initiatives.

This month, the United Nations will convene a meeting in Uganda to finalise a comprehensive regional peacebuilding strategy which combats the activities of the LRA. The African Union has also announced a regional cooperation initiative and the US government is currently providing a number of military personnel to advise and assist national armies in the region to end the scourge of LRA violence, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan. We are monitoring these initiatives closely, in cooperation with our EU partners and through our Embassy in Kampala.

Northern Uganda suffered more than any other area from the activities of the LRA in the years up to 2006, when the LRA left the area and moved into neighbouring countries. Ireland has been providing support to the people of the area for well over a decade. We have played an important role in coordinating the international donor response to the effects of war on the local population, particularly children, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. We have supported and facilitated peace talks and have ensured that the humanitarian situation in the region remains firmly on the international agenda. Between 2007 and 2010, Ireland provided over €4.4 million in humanitarian assistance for Uganda, most of which focused on the crisis in Northern Uganda.

Uganda is one of the priority countries for Ireland’s aid programme, where we have a commitment to the provision of long term strategic assistance. In 2007,

the Ugandan Government initiated a Peace, Recovery and Development Programme to coordinate all assistance for Northern Uganda, which now requires huge investment to ensure recovery from the disastrous effects of two decades of war. The Programme aims to provide additional resources for capital projects such as schools, clinics, water and sanitation facilities and roads. Through Irish Aid, we are strongly supporting the Programme and we have committed to providing some €22.5 million in funding for it over the years 2010 to 2014.

CREED WELCOMES FUNDING FOR NEW CLASSROOMS IN KILMURRAY & CUIL AODHA NATIONAL SCHOOLS

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Michael Creed  has today welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, that two schools in Cork North West will receive grant aids to replace their existing prefab classrooms with permanent structures.

 

“I am delighted that Cuil Aodha & Kilmurray National Schools will finally be able to build permanent, state-of-the-art classrooms, after so many years of wasting a huge amount of money renting prefab classrooms, which could have been put towards other vital education services.

 

“For many years during the height of the boom, Fine Gael consistently called for this serious waste of money which was spent on renting prefabs to be addressed. Despite the massive amount of spending that went on during the boom, the previous Government did nothing to address this. Instead they continued renting prefabs; in 2007 alone, 715 new rental contracts were signed.

 

“I am delighted that this Government is now addressing this problem and 200 permanent structures across the country will be built this year, which covers over a third of all schools who currently rent prefabs. A total of €35 million has been allocated and it is estimated the 6,000 pupils will benefit.

 

“Since this Government was formed, the Minister for Education has been focused on reforming our education system, despite constrained resources. Today’s announcement is an example of identifying where money is being wasted. Building sustainable classrooms will save approximately €5 million per year and create an estimated 700 direct and 140 indirect jobs.

 

“This announcement is not part of the five-year building programme which will be announced in the coming weeks. Today’s initiative forms part of the Government’s €430 million education infrastructure plan for 2012. The investment in the School Building Programme this year, including the replacement of prefabs, will create an estimated 3,250 direct and 650 indirect jobs.”

€10,000 FOR MINOR FLOOD RELIEF IN BALLYVOURNEY/BALLYMAKEERA

Cork North West TD Michael Creed has welcomed the allocation of €10,000 from the OPW to Cork County Council for minor flood relief on the River Sullane through Ballyvourney Ballymakeera.  Commenting on the allocation, Deputy Creed said;

“There have been several flooding incidents in the Ballyvourney area in recent years.  While there is a long term project to solve the flooding issues in the area in development, this funding should provide a short term relief to the flooding issue.  The works include the removal of overhanging growth & other obstacles to river for 3.4 miles from Ballyvourney Bridge downstream”.

“These works are to be carried out by Cork County Council and do not impact on the Lee CFRAMS project being undertaken by the OPW”.

CREED WELCOMES ASSURANCES ON FUTURE OF MACROOM HOSPITAL

Cork North West TD, Michael Creed, has said that he has received assurances that the future of Macroom Hospital is not under threat following the publication of the HSE service plan for 2012.  Commenting on the continued speculation surrounding the future of the hospital;

“I am acutely aware of the anxiety that is being felt in the Macroom area regarding the future of Macroom hospital.  I have been in continued engagement with my colleague the Minister for Health Dr James Reilly and officials in the HSE & HIQA on this matter over the past few months and I am encouraged by the feedback I am receiving from all quarters.  I have been reassured by the Minister and the HSE that Macroom hospital is not under threat of closure”.

“There are however challenges facing this important facility which must be faced up to by all stakeholders who have an interest in the hospital.  Crucially we now live in an era where public patients seeking long term care have a choice in whether they go to a facility such as Macroom hospital or a private nursing home.  Further to this, it is significantly more economical for the state to fund a patient entering a private facility compared to a public hospital such as Macroom.  The cost per bed differential between public and private facilities must be bridged in the short term in order to ensure the continued viability of public facilities”.

“The state has a duty of care to all patients requiring care.  Therefore the HIQA continuously scrutinise the standards being adhered to in all health care facilities in the Country.  High standards of health care bring with them capital costs that are sometimes significant.  Macroom hospital has proven to be meeting HIQA’s standards admirably according to recent reports, however the challenge remains to maintain and upgrade these standards on a continuous basis”.

“Despite these challenges I am satisfied with the assurances that have been offered to me regarding the future of the hospital.  I am confident that the political and public will exists to ensure that the continued viability of Macroom hospital will not be called into question”.

Watch the Dáil Debate on Small Rural Schools 12th January 2012.

Watch the Dáil Debate on Small Rural Schools 12th January 2012.

CREED CALLS ON MINISTER QUINN TO EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS TO PRESERVE SMALL SCHOOLS

DÁIL SPEECH RAISED UNDER TOPICAL ISSUES 12/01/2012

“I believe that at a time like this there are opportunities to restructure the educational model. It is important not to miss that opportunity. The weakness in the Minister’s approach is that it is too much stick and not enough carrot in respect of the requirement to change. The savings that could be made in the education area could be delivered in other areas and I will suggest some that are worth considering”.

“We could have administrative principals over clusters of small schools, who would decide themselves over a period of time on the optimum model for delivery of education in that cluster area. This opportunity has been missed and now backs are up and this is an emotive issue. For example, in my area there will be a meeting next Monday night which will be emotive and which will mobilise the community. It is regrettable also, in the context of the value for money review which is examining the small two-teacher schools, that we did not wait for the outcome of that review to have an informed debate, perhaps initiated by the Department’s inspectors, with boards of management, parents and teachers to discover the optimum delivery of education services in these communities, most but not all of which are rural communities. There is an issue also with regard to how this relates to Church of Ireland small schools. I suggest there could be savings made through such a clustering arrangement, particularly in terms of shared services, back office facilities and secretarial administration”.

“We also need to look critically at the curriculum and to sweat it down in early years to make savings. Currently, we teach English, Irish, Maths, history, geography, drama, science, social, political and health education, art, music and religion in primary schools. We should look at sweating this down in the early years to make savings. This would complement the Minister’s objective of improving literacy and numeracy”.

“Two minutes is a very short time to make an appropriate case, but I suggest there are opportunities to remodel delivery of education in rural areas to an extent that parents would go along with and that would be to the benefit of children. However, this must come from the bottom up”.

CHILD BENEFIT SHOULD BE LINKED TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE WITHIN THIS STATE – CREED.

RUMOURED €10 REDUCTION ALARMING CALLING UNIVERSALITY INTO QUESTION

Cork North West, Fine Gael TD, has expressed his concern at rumours circulating of a €10 reduction in child benefit and has called for an end to universal payment and the linking of child benefit payment to school attendance in a move which would ensure that benefit payments are not leaving the state while simultaneously alleviating the problem of truancy in schools. Commenting on the proposal which he recently put to the Minster for Social Protection, Deputy Creed said:

 

“I have asked the Minister her views on linking Child benefit payment to school attendance within the State and to consider implementing such a condition.  The Minister has responded by stating that there are no plans to introduce a condition in Ireland related to school attendance beyond that which currently exists for those aged 16 and 17.  Commenting on the possible impact my proposal would have on truancy levels the Minister deferred to the Minister for Education and the Minister for Children.  I am disappointed with her response”.

 

“I believe the Government has to look across Departments for solutions to a range of problems be they financial or social.  There is an opportunity to ensure that school attendance is maximised by penalising truancy with a reduction or suspension to child benefit for serial offenders.  Government must be flexible and open minded when presented with suggestions and not be blinkered and short-sighted in terms of Departmental or legislative constraints.  I understand the legal dilemma whereby the EU’s social security systems are required to be co-ordinated and the payment of benefits must apply to all EU citizens equally regardless of which state they work in, therefore ensuring Irish citizens working in other EU member states benefit equally from the host countries system an vice versa.  I am proposing a little financial engineering which will see the current regime remain up to school going age and then the child benefit payment switches to a school attendance payment”.

 

Commenting on reports that child benefit is to be cut by €10 in next months budget. Deputy Creed said;

 

“I acknowledge that no final budgetary decision have been taken as of yet and we are dealing with pure speculation, however I am alarmed that there is a possibility of child benefit being cut by as much as €10.  This situation highlights the inequality of the current universal system which is unsustainable and unfair.  I note this morning groups such as Barnardos and others, who support the universal nature of the payment, expressing their concerns. Scarce resources need to be targeted at areas where they are most needed and a blind adherence to the principle of retaining child benefit as a universal payment is of another era”.

 

“The case has been made, that the implementation of a means test is too expensive to administer.  However in the absence of such a mechanism it is important that if the €10 cut is to proceed then the Government should compensate those on Social welfare by an equivalent increase in child dependent allowance or in the family income supplement”.

CREED WELCOMES ‘AMBER LIGHT’ ON TRAFFIC LIGHT PROPOSAL

 

Change in traffic light sequencing could improve traffic flow

 

Fine Gael Cork North West TD, Michael Creed, has welcomed a commitment from Transport Minister Leo Varadkar to explore his proposal that would see the current sequence settings in traffic lights altered to include the amber light flashing before turning green. Deputy Creed believes this alteration would go some distance to improving traffic flow.

 

“What I have proposed to the Minister is the implementation of the traffic light system as it is used in the UK. This is whereby the amber light flashes before the lights turn to green. This allows motorists the opportunity to prepare to recommence movement thus improving traffic flow. This would particularly be the case in areas where there is significant traffic build up and regular traffic light activity.

 

“I welcome the commitment from the Minister to contact the Gardaí, the Road Safety Authority and the National Transport Authority to seek their views on this suggestion. Of course road safety must be the paramount consideration when making a decision on a matter such as this, however if traffic movement can be improved in congested areas then the proposal must be examined.

 

“As we approach the Christmas period, which is traditionally a time of heavy traffic congestion in urban areas, we need to be creative in terms of looking at options to improve the situation of motorists. If this system is successful in other countries then I see no reason why it cannot be implemented here. I look forward to hearing the feedback from the relevant authorities and developing this proposal further with the Minister.”

 

CREED WELCOMES SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT ON NEW SCHOOL FOR GAELSCOIL UÍ RIORDÁIN BALLINCOLLIG.

 

Cork North West, Fine Gael TD Michael Creed has welcomed confirmation from the Department of Education, that progress is being made in tendering for a contractor to commence construction of the new Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin and that work should commence in early 2012. Commenting on the matter Deputy Creed said:

 

“Confirmation that construction on the new school building for Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin will commence in early 2012, will come as welcome relief to staff, parents and pupils of the school who along with the board of management and members of the Community in Ballincollig have worked for nearly three decades to see this project come to fruition”.

 

“Gaelscoil Úi Ríordáin is a model school which has grown exponentially over the years. Given the level of growth in the pupil numbers attending the Gaelscoil the current building became insufficient to cater for the schools needs which led to the use of temporary prefabricated classroom accomadation. The situation has grown unsustainable and the news that Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin is finally to find a new home is long overdue”.

 

“I am pleased that Fine Gael in Government are in a position to push this much delayed project over the line. Bringing this project to construction phase has taken a concerted effort from the Board of Management and public representatives of all parties such as my colleague Derry Canty in Cork County Council and former Minister Batt O’Keeffe”.

 

“I will be working with the Minister for Education in the coming weeks to ensure that construction on the new Gaelscoil commences as soon as possible so as to ensure that the new facility will be available for staff and students at the earliest possible date”.

 

CREED CALLS FOR HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF DEBATE ON FORTHCOMING REFEREDUMS

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Michael Creed, has called on the Government, the Opposition and the media to engage in a proactive and visible debate on the forthcoming referendums on judge’s pay and on the powers of Oireachtas committees.

 ”It’s regrettable to say the least that these referendums have been so sidelined that the public are barely aware that they are taking place in less than twenty days time. Amendments to the Constitution are matters of significant national importance and deserve to be receiving as much attention and publicity as possible, so voters are in a position to make an informed decision at the ballot box.

 ”I am calling on the Government, the Opposition and those media commentators who have previously called for political reform to become more proactive in bringing this debate to public attention. Apathy only creates a culture of ‘if you don’t know – vote no’. The issues before the people are important and warrant a large scale public airing before polling day.

 ”While I acknowledge the role of the Referendum Commission in informing the public on these matters, it is a faceless entity which the public may not relate to. These referendums need personalities to come forward and show leadership on how they believe people should vote.

 ”These two referendums are by no means trivial. The issues that arise from the referendum on judge’s remuneration include the relationship between the Oireachtas and the judiciary and the traditional separation of powers. The referendum on Oireachtas committees grants significant powers on Oireachtas members which must be examined and considered in full before the public can decide whether they are in favour of them.

 ”We are currently surrounded by a media clamour pertaining to an office with a primary role of protecting our Constitution. It would only be fitting that significant changes to the same Constitution should receive some level of attention, which has been absent to this point.”