asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the benefits accrued to date to this country from projects funded under the bilateral aid appropriation since the initiation of the appropriation in 1974 by way of employment, increased export earnings, consultancy contracts and in other ways.
Written Answers. - Bilateral Aid Appropriation Projects.
432.
The objective of the Bilateral Aid Programme is to channel resources in the most effective way possible to the poorer countries of the developing world and the poorer populations in them.
It would not be posble to quantify the benefits accrued to date from projects funded under the Bilateral Aid Programme in the manner requested by the Deputy. In many cases, no direct benefits could be shown. However, the Deputy may find it useful to refer to the information already given, in tabular form, in reply to Questions Nos. 342, 343, 344 and 345 of 15 November 1979 by Deputy Liam Kavanagh concerning the details of projects involving various Irish bodies under the Government Bilateral Aid Programme.
Contacts established with developing countries through the Bilateral Aid Programme can result in certain commercial advantages and opportunities. For example, the involvement of Irish firms and organisations in our Bilateral Aid Programme provide them with experience which increases their acceptability in so far as other projects in developing countries are concerned. In most cases, however, it would be difficult to identify precisely the benefits which accrue from development work undertaken subsequently by the firm or organisation concerned since in many cases projects are parts of larger schemes, undertaken or financed by other donor countries or agencies.