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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 8

Written Answers. - NGO Funding.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

7 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will consider a new layout of Estimates to include a spending line for non-governmental organisations in order that such expenditure will be more transparent and easily identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27359/99]

Ireland Aid values its partnership with NGOs. This partnership benefits the NGOs through financial assistance and the bilateral aid programme through the experience of NGOs. As the recent OECD review of Ireland Aid confirmed, our funding of NGOs is high by international standards.

NGOs may apply for funding from Ireland Aid under a number of different headings within the bilateral aid programme, such as NGO co-financing, human rights and democratisation, emergency humanitarian aid and rehabilitation assistance. Full transparency is assured through the provision of details of all funding to NGOs in the annual reports published by the Department, copies of which are available in the Dáil Library.
I am satisfied that our arrangements in respect of Ireland Aid-NGO collaboration are working well in practice. This applies both to the administrative arrangements generally and to the format of the relevant part of the Book of Estimates. Accordingly, I can see no reason to consider changing the format of the Book of Estimates.
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