Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 2

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

188 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government targets for overseas development aid in each budget of 2002, 2003, 2004, and so on, to ensure the UN target of 0.7% of GNP is reached; and if the promise of 0.45% of GNP for overseas development aid will be reinstated in 2002. [21841/02]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

Total ODA in 2002 is expected to reach €420 million or 0.41% of GNP. Due to current economic circumstances, the size of the budget increase for the Ireland Aid programme this year will be €32 million less than originally anticipated and it will not be possible to attain the interim target of 0.45% of GNP. However, the revised allocation of €340 million under Vote 39, the Vote for International Co-operation, represents an increase of over 40% or €100 million on the 2001 allocation. This increase is the largest single annual increase in the history of the programme.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government decided in September 2000 to achieve by 2007 the UN target of 0.7% of GNP. The programme for Government makes clear that we will complete our major expansion of our overseas development aid programme, achieving the UN target of 0.7% of GNP by 2007. The Taoiseach reconfirmed the Government's clear commitment to this objective at the recent World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The scale and timing of the increases in funding required to achieve the 0.7% target will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.