Brendan Griffin
Question:561. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding overseas aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36237/15]
View answerTuesday, 20 October 2015
Questions (561)
Written answers
At the end of September, the Taoiseach led the Irish delegation at the UN Summit in New York which adopted a new global development agenda, with a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are universally applicable and will guide the actions of all countries in their efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger and achieve sustainable development over the next fifteen years.
The Summit was a proud moment for Ireland, which played a central role in helping to deliver this historic agreement. The successful role of our diplomatic team in New York, as co-facilitators to the final round of negotiations, was widely acknowledged. Ireland had already played a key role in framing the parameters of the new agenda at both EU and UN levels. The SDGs are universally applicable, and all countries will need to take action. In common with our EU partners, we will now focus on developing the most appropriate institutional framework to deliver the new development agenda domestically and internationally.
“One World, One Future”, our policy for international development, clearly articulates the Government’s commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) on Official Development Assistance (ODA). In his address to the UN Summit, the Taoiseach reiterated our commitment to making progress towards the 0.7% target.
Our track record in support of Ireland’s aid programme speaks for itself. Over the past four years, we have protected and stabilised budget allocations, at a time of extraordinary economic difficulty. We stated consistently that we would make progress towards the 0.7% target once economic conditions allow. As our economic recovery gains momentum and becomes more widely established, we can now begin delivering on that commitment.
The Budget for 2016, announced on 14 October, involves the first substantial increase in the aid budget in seven years. For next year, we have provided a total of over €640 million in ODA, an increase of €40 million, or almost 7% on the 2015 level. We estimate that this will entail a small increase in our ODA/GNP percentage, from a projected 0.35% in 2015 to a projected 0.36% in 2016.
The major challenge for the year ahead will be to ensure Ireland continues to play a leading role in the comprehensive response to the unprecedented levels of humanitarian crisis, especially in Europe’s broader neighbourhood, while ensuring our aid programme remains effective in addressing the root causes of poverty and hunger.