Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 March 2012
48 Deputy Maureen O’Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the proposed budget of the Development Cooperation Instrument for the period 2014 to 2020 amounting to €23,294.7 million in current prices, the organisations that will be funded for the promotion of building democratic societies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15425/12]
View answer(Minister of State Mr. Joe Costello T.D.) The European Union — Commission and Member States collectively — is the most significant international aid donor, providing over 55% of all Official Development Assistance to poor countries. The Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) is one of three major funding instruments for EU development cooperation programmes, along with the European Development Fund, which covers African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument, focusing on the Union's neighbouring countries to the East and the South.
Under the current EU Multiannual Financial Framework, a budget of €16.9 billion has been allocated to the Development Cooperation Instrument for the six years 2008 to 2013. The European Commission has brought forward proposals for negotiation for the Framework for the seven years 2014 to 2020, which include proposed allocations of €34.276 billion for the European Development Fund, €23.295 billion for the Development Cooperation Instrument and €18.182 billion for the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument. There are three distinct elements to the Development Cooperation Instrument: geographic programmes supporting cooperation with 47 developing countries in Latin America, Asia and Central Asia, the Gulf region and South Africa; thematic programmes benefiting all developing countries; and a programme of measures for the 18 African, Caribbean and Pacific Sugar Protocol countries, to help them adjust following the reform of the EU sugar regime.
The final amount of funding available for the Development Cooperation Instrument will of course depend on the outcome of the overall negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework. However, it is clear that the promotion of democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law will remain key principles underpinning the implementation of all programmes under the Instrument. Programmes are developed and financed on the basis of annual or multiannual action plans which are discussed and agreed by the DCI Committee, which includes representatives of all the member States, and on which Ireland plays an active role. Decisions on the funding of specific programmes and organisations under the new Multiannual Financial Framework will be taken on a regular basis once the Framework is in place.
