Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 8

Written Answers. - Development Assistance.

Ivor Callely

Question:

68 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the concerns, if any, he has regarding the estimated expenditure of £89 million in 1995 on official development assistance; the issues of concern, if any, relating to agencies that are involved in such expenditures that have been brought to his attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17606/95]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I have no particular concerns in the way that the 1995 provision of £89 million for official development assistance (ODA) is being spent this year. Ireland's total ODA is made up from expenditure not only from the Vote for International Co-operation but also from Central Funds and Votes of other Departments e.g. Agriculture. Of the total of £89 million, £53.3 million is allocated to bilateral aid and £33.8 million through multilateral agencies.

Multilateral aid is channelled through international organisations such as the EU, the UN and their related agencies for use in developing countries. All of the payments to the EU and most of those to the World Bank Group and the UN agricultural and food agencies are mandatory, arising from our membership of those organisations. Contributions to the UN development agencies such as UNICEF, UNDP and UNHCR are voluntary.

Bilateral assistance comprises direct expenditure by the Government on emergency humanitarian relief, rehabilitation and long-term development programmes in our priority countries. It also includes such schemes as the Nongovernmental Cofinancing Scheme and the Fellowship Programme. An annual grant is given to the agency for Personal Service Overseas which is the body responsible for sending skilled Irish people to assist in passing on expertise to developing countries. Individual project details are available in the reportIrish Aid — Ireland's Official Development Assistance which is published annually by my Department.

The first priority of official development assistance is to provide assistance to poorer developing countries; this assistance is designed to meet basic needs and to contribute to long-term economic and social development. There is also an emphasis that the assistance provided is both targeted and costeffective. Irish Aid projects are subjected to regular reviews and evaluation from sectoral experts within the Development Co-operation. They are also subject to the scrutiny of Dáil Committees such as the Public Accounts Committee and the ODA Sub-committee of the Foreign Affairs Committee and to review by international bodies such as the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. Agencies in receipt of public moneys for Emergency Assistance and from the NGO Cofinancing Scheme are required to produce reports on how the moneys are spent.

It is the continuing concern of my Department to ensure that the money spent both bilaterally and multilaterally reaches its targets and is used in the most effective way possible.