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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 7

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Dan Neville

Question:

42 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the current work programme of Ireland Aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14885/03]

The overarching goal of Ireland Aid, the Government's official programme of development assistance, is to reduce poverty in developing countries. Within that overarching objective, the millennium development goals, eight targets promulgated by the United Nations at a series of international summit meetings, provide the basis for Ireland's engagement and, indeed, that of virtually all donor countries and multilateral agencies. The choice of development sectors in which Ireland Aid focuses its co-operation flows from those goals and includes education, health, agriculture and food security, water and sanitation, the construction of rural roads and good governance.

Achievement of Ireland Aid objectives has been facilitated through substantial increases in resources in recent years pursuant to the Government's commitment to achieving the UN target for ODA of 0.7% of GNP by the end of 2007. This year, the Government has allocated €374 million to Ireland Aid, while elements of official development assistance, ODA, expected to total some €80 million in 2003, are administered by other Departments. Total ODA is therefore expected to reach €450 million in 2003, the highest ever allocation in the history of the programme. Current indications are that this will equate to 0.41% of GNP, with the result that, in percentage terms, Ireland is now the seventh-largest donor internationally, just behind Belgium at 0.42%, and our performance is well above the EU average.

Against the backdrop of recent rapid expansion and projected continued growth, the Government commissioned an independent review of Ireland Aid. The review led to the publication last year of a comprehensive report presenting a wide range of recommendations. The report, which was approved by the Government, concluded that the existing objectives and policy approaches of Ireland Aid have been correct and that those represent considerable strengths on which future development should be built. It provides the framework within which the Ireland Aid work plan will be designed over the next few years. Substantial progress has been made in implementing the report's recommendations and work will continue on this front in 2003.

As in previous years, the bilateral programme will constitute the centrepiece of the Ireland Aid work plan in 2003. The focus of the bilateral programme, which will amount to some €254 million this year, is on six least-developed programme countries in sub-Saharan Africa and on East Timor, which was added as the seventh programme country in March 2003. The thrust of the programme in those countries is on basic needs, rural development, education, health, and democracy and good governance. Most support is delivered in the form of integrated programmes at regional or local level, selected in consultation with partner governments. Ireland Aid will also continue to work with governments and other donors on general budget support and sectoral investment programmes.
Some €23 million is provided in 2003 for Emergency Humanitarian Assistance. Support to date in 2003 has focused in particular on Iraq. We will continue to strengthen and deepen our support for the work of non-governmental organisations, NGOs, in 2003. The establishment of the multi-annual partnership scheme, MAPS, will place funding for five larger NGOs on a multi-annual, programmatic basis, and that represents a major strengthening of our co-operation with the civil-society sector.
Some €22 million will be allocated in 2003 through APSO. That increased budget includes provision for the new Missionary Development Fund, which was established late last year. Regarding multilateral assistance, our voluntary contribution to UN agencies will amount to €38 million in 2003, while a further €12 million will be allocated to the European Development Fund. Preparations for Ireland's Presidency of the EU, which covers the first half of 2004, will be a major priority on the multilateral side of Ireland Aid. In addition, our Presidency will involve a major co-ordination role for Ireland at a number of major international development conferences due to take place next year and advance preparation for those conferences will constitute a key element of the Ireland Aid work plan in 2003.
The Government recognises that HIV-AIDS is a major public health and development challenge in poorer countries which are recipients of development assistance and that advances in poverty reduction in such situations cannot be made in the absence of an urgent and sustained response to HIV-AIDS. Pursuant to a commitment made by the Taoiseach at the UN special session on HIV-AIDS in 2001, Government support for the fight against the epidemic in developing countries has increased substantially, and this year we expect to provide more than €50 million for HIV-AIDS activities across the various elements of the Ireland Aid programme. In addition to increasing levels of funding, Ireland will advocate a more urgent and mainstreamed EU response to the issue in the context of our forthcoming EU Presidency.
Question No. 43 answered with Question No. 17.
Question No. 44 answered with Question No. 9.

Brian O'Shea

Question:

45 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it remains the Government's commitment to meet the target for ODA of 0.7% of GNP by 2007; the proportion of that target that will be met in 2003 and in each successive year up to 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14756/03]

Eamon Ryan

Question:

139 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in the autumn of 2002, the strategy by which the Government hopes to achieve the targeted spending of 0.7% of the gross national income on overseas development aid assistance by 2007; and if the Government plans to implement the agreement in 2000 to gradually increase the percentage contribution or if the increase will be concentrated in the years closer to 2007. [10600/03]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 139 together.

The Government's national programme of assistance to developing countries comprises two elements. The major component is my Department's Vote for international co-operation, €374 million in 2003, while elements of ODA, expected to total some €80 million in 2003, are administered by other Departments.

Provisional out-turn figures indicate that overall expenditure on ODA in 2002 amounted to €422 million or 0.41% of GNP compared to €320 million or 0.33% of GNP in 2001. In percentage terms, Ireland is now the seventh largest donor internationally, just behind Belgium at 0.42%, and our performance is well above the EU average.

These increases have been pursuant to the Government's commitment to achieving the UN target for ODA of 0.7% of GNP by 2007. The 2004 allocation for Vote 39 will be agreed later this year in the context of the annual Estimates negotiations. The scale and timing of the increases required for subsequent years will be considered on an ongoing basis.

Question No. 46 answered with Question No. 13.

Question No. 47 answered with Question No. 6.

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