Michael Bell
Question:30 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the practical measures, if any, he has in mind to ensure the reorientation of Irish aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18105/97]
Written Answers. - Overseas Aid.
Ireland's development co-operation policies and programmes are conducted in a process of close collaboration with developing countries. There is also extensive co-ordination and exchange of experience with other donor countries. At the domestic level, we benefit from the advice of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other interested groups. The objective of this process of continuous re-evaluation of our approach is to ensure that Irish Aid continues to respond well to the changing circumstances of developing countries.
The resources available for Official Development Assistance (ODA) have increased significantly in recent years. Between 1992 and this year, the budget has increased from £40 million to £122 million - a three-fold increase. Expressed as a percentage of GNP, the growth has been from 0.16 per cent to 0.31 per cent. Relative to other donors, the Irish performance as a percentage of GNP has increased from less than half the average of all donors in 1992 to a position of now exceeding the donor average. The Government is committed to maintaining a rapid rate of growth of ODA with a view to reaching 0.45 per cent of GNP by the year 2002, as an interim step on the way to reaching the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP as soon as possible therafter.
Apart from the obvious consequence of permitting the ODA programme to increase in size, the budgetary expansion has facilitated qualitative change and improvement in our approach. As was indicated in some detail in the Department's Strategic Management Statement, Pursuing Ireland's External Interests, the underlying strategy has been to recognise that the purpose of external assistance is to support local development processes within developing countries.
In practical terms, this means that donors, including Ireland, are increasingly expected to combine their efforts in support of coherent development programmes targeted on overall economic and social sectors. Assistance is provided for measures to support the quality of life and productivity of poor people, for example through the provision of basic education, primary health care and clean drinking water. The methods employed are kept as basic as possible, in line with locally available expertise and resources. The work is done by local people and institutions with support from donor countries.
The new approach outlined above is in contrast to an earlier one which involved donors concentrating resources on individual projects. That approach often produced apparently impressive results when projects were viewed in isolation but it sometimes happened that the individual projects did not add up to a coherent overall programme. In addition, developing countries often did not have the financial or administrative resources to maintain projects that had been set up by donors on a "no expense spared" basis.
Irish Aid is playing a leading role in these efforts to reorientate international aid with a view to making it more effective, especially in the priority countries for our bilateral assistance.
The Government is committed both to continuing to expand the ODA programme and to searching continuously for qualitative improvements in our operational approach, on the basis just indicated.