Vol. 557 No. 2
91 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of overseas development aid which Ireland will provide in 2002; and the way in which this compares with the estimate already approved by Dáil Éireann. [21512/02]
115 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether cuts in Government expenditure will include a cut in overseas development aid. [21439/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 115 together.
The Government's national programme of assistance to developing countries comprises two elements. The major component, my Department's Vote for international co-operation, amounts to €340 million in 2002, while elements of ODA which are expected to total sum of €80 million in 2002 are administered by other Departments. Total spending on ODA is therefore expected to reach some €420 million in 2002.
Due to current economic circumstances, the size of the budget increase for the Ireland Aid programme this year is €32 million less than originally envisaged. The revised allocation of €340 million represents, however, an increase of over 40%, or €100 million, on the 2001 allocation of €240 million. This increase is the largest single annual increase in the history of the programme.
In relation to the position on funding in 2003, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on this matter in advance of the publication of the Abridged Book of Estimates.
