Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 22 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 2

Written Answers. - NGO Funding.

Ivor Callely

Question:

51 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of moneys allocated in 2000 to non-governmental organisations; the mechanism in place to ensure productivity of such funds; the areas or issues of concern in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7839/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The provisional outturn for the aid programme in 2000 was approximately £210 million, of which £138 million is under the direct control of Ireland Aid through the Department of Foreign Affairs. Non-governmental organisations received approximately £19 million directly from the Department of Foreign Affairs. In addition, it is estimated that approximately £8.35 million was disbursed to NGOs via APSO and NCDE, both organisations are directly funded by Ireland Aid. Therefore, in 2000, £27.35 million was allocated to NGOs which represents almost 20% of the funds under direct Ireland Aid control for expenditure purposes. A number of Irish NGOs also receive considerable funding from multilateral agencies such as the UN and the EU to which the Irish Government contributes from its overseas development assistance budget.

All applications for funding from NGOs, including missionary orders, must conform to a detailed set of criteria and guidelines pertaining to the particular sector being funded. Applicants for funding must demonstrate a capacity to carry out the tasks envisaged as well as a clear and coherent strategy to achieve the aims and objectives of the programme or project. The track record of the applicants in terms of planning, management, monitoring and evaluation is also an important consideration when examining proposed projects and programmes. Applications must be carefully costed in advance. Successful applicants are subject to formal contractual arrangements which set out the terms, conditions and reporting requirements. A full list of all NGO project funding is available in the Ireland Aid annual reports in the Oireachtas Library.

In 2001 it is intended to carry out a review of four of the NGO block grant recipients. These reviews are already under way. A review of NGO emergency operations in the earthquake zone in India will take place in April. A number of other reviews and monitoring visits are in the planning stages.

My Department has a separate audit and evaluation unit tasked with ensuring the highest standards of evaluation and the adoption of best development practice. Independent consultants and international experts are regularly commissioned to assist in the evaluation process. Each year a number of projects and programmes carried out by NGOs are selected for rigorous evaluation and financial audit by Ireland Aid's evaluation and audit unit. NGOs in receipt of public funds must demonstrate that they have a system in place to monitor and evaluate projects and a demonstrated capacity to address issues such as sustainability, participation, local ownership, gender, environmental impact and cost effectiveness. In addition, the evaluation team reports on whether the projects and programmes are performing to expectations, whether the funds are reaching the beneficiaries and whether the projects and programmes funded represent good value for money. In Ireland Aid, evaluation is perceived as a vital tool in learning important development lessons and adopting new and improved ways of bringing about sustainable change in the lives of the poor in the developing world. We must strive to ensure aid is delivered as productively, effectively and efficiently as possible.

The Irish Government's programme of development co-operation is also subject to rigorous peer review by the development assistance committee of the OECD. In 1999 the OECD published its review of the Irish programme. The OECD review was very positive and stated that Ireland sets very high standards for aid and that there was a clear focus on poverty reduction.

This is a historic time in the context of Ireland's programme of development co-operation. The Taoiseach at the millennium summit gave a commitment to reaching the internationally recognised target of 0.7% of GNP for development assistance. This presents us with the challenge of maintaining the quality of our programmes in a time of unprecedented growth. In this context I hope to see increased funding channelled through NGOs and especially those with proven track records of achievement and effective management. It is essential that we work with partner NGOs in giving increased focus to outcomes and impact. Increased funding through NGOs, or any other channel for that matter, does not automatically mean enhanced quality and effective aid disbursement. The maintenance of quality aid delivery is a shared objective with NGOs and regular evaluation is an essential tool in this endeavour.

The review of Ireland Aid, chaired by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, is currently under way and will be examining all aspects of the aid programme, including working with NGOs. The review committee has advertised in the national press requesting submissions to its deliberations from interested parties and stake holders. I hope there will be a wide response in order that the aid review committee may examine as wide a range of submissions as possible. The committee will also consult with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs.