Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013
29. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will set out on a country basis a breakdown of the planned distribution of Irish overseas development aid; the percentage year on year change in overseas development aid to each recipient country since 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1587/13]
View answerIreland has long term, strategic development partnership programmes with a small number of developing countries, called Programme Countries. These are Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia in sub-Saharan Africa, and Timor Leste and Vietnam in Asia. Timor Leste has now ceased to be a Programme Country. In these countries we aim to build government and institutional capacities to deliver the essential services that their populations need – mainly in the areas of health, education and food security. We also work in areas such as governance, gender equality, the environment and HIV and Aids, building systems of accountability that will ensure lasting development results.
For 2013 the Government has allocated €623 million to Ireland’s programme for Official Development Assistance (ODA). €498 million will be managed under Vote 27 International Cooperation through the Development Cooperation Division of my Department – known to the public as Irish Aid. We are currently in the process of finalising the 2013 detailed budget allocations across the aid programme and anticipate that we will allocate approximately one third of the total Irish Aid 2013 budget directly to Programme Countries.
Table 1 provides details of the final budget allocations to Programme Countries for 2011 and 2012 together with the percentage year on year change. The final allocation to Programme Countries for 2012 was reduced as a result of the decision by the Tánaiste to suspend all funding through Government system in Uganda following the discovery of significant misappropriation of Irish Aid, and other donor, funding within the Prime Minister's Office. We are currently assessing the various options for future programme engagement in Uganda following the full restitution of the funds by the Government of Uganda.
Table 1
Programme Country Allocations
Figures in € 000’s
|
Programme Country |
Budget Allocation 2012 |
Budget Allocation 2011 |
% Change |
|
Ethiopia |
25,770 |
25,990 |
-1% |
|
Lesotho |
7,440 |
10,440 |
-29% |
|
Zambia |
14,580 |
16,415 |
-11% |
|
Malawi |
12,500 |
11,455 |
9% |
|
Mozambique |
37,000 |
37,000 |
0% |
|
Tanzania |
29,728 |
30,700 |
-3% |
|
Timor Leste |
3,510 |
2,720 |
29% |
|
Uganda |
16,000 |
32,750 |
-51% |
|
Vietnam |
12,000 |
12,000 |
0 |
|
Total Programme Countries |
158,528 |
179,470 |
-12% |
