Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.
Liam Lawlor
Question:
56
Mr. Lawlor
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 85 of 26 October 2000, he will review the procedures by which aid is channelled to Third World countries with a view to providing Irish aid agencies with a greater share of his Department's budget for overseas aid; and his views on the widely held view that funding NGOs and missionaries is the most effective way of ensuring that the optimum level of aid is delivered to the people in need (details supplied).
[26184/00]
As I have indicated previously, a key objective in delivering and maintaining a high quality programme of development co-operation is the achievement of a balance, utilising all the channels available to promote sustainable development of a targeted country. This objective requires that there be a clear focus, across all sectors, on the need to build capacity at all levels within developing countries. The emphasis must be on the need to support indigenous ownership and processes within poor countries to ensure that development gains for the poor are real and sustainable.
NGOs and missionaries are valuable means of delivering help to the poorest of the poor and this is reflected in the fact that in 1999 they received almost £25 million from my Department, representing 13% of total ODA. But important too, especially for sustained and lasting development, are the partnerships between donors and host Governments. These partnerships are the foundations which foster the human and institutional development that are necessary if the developing world is to break out of the cycle of poverty and crisis. The issues of basic needs and associated enabling policies, governance, economic growth and physical infrastructure are dealt with within this partnership framework. Also vital is the role played by multilateral organisations on a whole range of issues from emergency responses to addressing the enormous and unsustainable debt burden faced by so many developing countries.
Our relationship with NGOs and missionaries is deep and abiding and is based on the outstanding reputation which they have established in helping poor people. We provide a wide range of assistance through numerous channels: emergency humanitarian assistance; emergency preparedness and post emergency rehabilitation assistance; NGO co-financing scheme; block grants scheme; in-country micro projects scheme; democratisation and human rights programme; and funding of personnel through APSO.
In addition to the above, my Department is currently examining the provision of multi-annual programme budgeting for those NGOs who have the capacity to programme in this way. This process will give increased focus to qualitative outcomes, impact and rigorous evaluation in order that we can share lessons learned and continuously adopt a best practice approach.
The OECD, in its examination in 1999 of the Irish Government's programme of development co-operation, commented that "by DAC, the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD, standards, direct support to NGO activities and support through NGOs already absorbs a relatively large share of the Irish Government's aid spending...Many observers, including NGOs themselves, are sceptical about large increases in funding, as it is doubtful whether Irish NGOs could expand their programmes more than marginally, at least in the short-term, and maintain quality in their activities".
