Vol. 467 No. 1
91 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the proportion of the overall development co-operation or aid budget that is accounted for by Ireland's mandatory payments to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12771/96]
The World Bank Group of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), are involved in providing finance and technical assistance to developing countries. In addition, the World Bank serves as the Trustee for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), a fund which helps developing countries tackle global environmental problems and which the Bank implements jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The budgetary allocation for Official Development Assistance (ODA) for 1996 includes a total provision of £5.809 million in respect of the World Bank Group, which includes a contribution of £4.429 million in respect of the IDA, £80,000 in respect of the IFC and £425,000 in respect of the GEF. In addition, £875,000 has been provided in respect of co-financing arrangements involving Trust Funds covering financing Irish consultants, experts and institutions carrying out research studies and training programmes for developing countries. No contribution is due to the IFC or MIGA in 1996.
The budgetary allocation for the World Bank group is equivalent to 5.48 per cent of the total ODA provision of £106 million.
