Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004
65 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether agencies and charities may have a capacity problem in dealing with a higher allocation of moneys in overseas development aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30065/04]
View answerThe Government's programme of assistance to developing countries is broad-based. It has the capacity to deepen and broaden its bilateral engagement, its co-operative arrangements with the United Nations and EU and its partnership with international and Irish non-governmental organisations, NGOs.
The recently announced increases of €190 million to the overseas aid budget over the next three years will push total spending on aid close to €1.8 billion between 2005 and 2007. The Irish NGOs are key partners in our programme. This has been recognised since the inception of the Government's aid programme by the volume of assistance that has been channelled through these organisations. In general, non-governmental organisations will have the capacity to absorb increases in funding from the programme as it expands over the coming three years and I am confident they will put such funding to effective use.
