Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 September 2013
63. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the Millennium Development Goals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40185/13]
View answerThe Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed by world leaders at the United Nations in 2000 as the framework for international development policy up to 2015. They provide a clearly measurable way to track progress in the fight against global poverty. The Goals are central to Ireland’s development programme, and to our renewed policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, which reaffirms our commitment to the fight against poverty and hunger as an integral part of our foreign policy. The Tánaiste and I took part yesterday in a major high level international meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York to review progress on the MDGs as the 2015 target date approaches and discuss the shaping of global development policy for the years ahead. We believe it is essential that the entire international community strengthens and accelerates its efforts to maximize progress on the remaining targets set by the MDGs by 2015. Ireland is recognised internationally for the strong lead we have taken in this process, and for the effectiveness of our aid programme, in some of the poorest countries in the world.
The Government’s new Policy on International Development also clearly restates our commitment to achieving the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development Assistance (ODA) when economic circumstances permit. Over the past two years, the Government has broadly stabilised the budget for development assistance, a significant achievement in the context of the very difficult conditions facing the country. Last year, we provided some €629 million in ODA, representing 0.47% of GNP. For 2013 we have allocated a total of €622 million to ODA. These represent very significant allocations of public funds and a genuine investment on behalf of the Irish people in assisting those less fortunate than ourselves.
