Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 November 2018
121. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the additional level of expenditure allocated to Irish Aid in 2019 under budget 2019; the areas in which the additional moneys will be allocated; and the locations in which the extra spending will be committed by programme. [48126/18]
View answerFor 2019, the Government has allocated almost €817 million for Official Development Assistance (ODA). This level of allocation represents an increase of approximately €110 million – or 16% on the revised 2018 budget allocation. Of this, €544.9 million will be managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, whose Vote 27 – International Co-operation – is known publicly as Irish Aid. The allocation to Vote 27 has been increased by €44 million, or almost 9% on last year’s allocation.
Priorities will be determined in the detailed programme budget planning cycle for Irish Aid in 2019, a process that will be completed before the end of this year. The Government is committed to increased allocations to education, to humanitarian assistance and to peacebuilding. Tackling climate change is another policy priority area that will benefit from the extra budget resources in 2019.
Irish support for development cooperation is a basis for partnerships across the globe, reaching 130 countries in 2017. Our development cooperation is given in support of countries development needs, typically in response to their poverty reduction strategies, and through the provision of humanitarian assistance in response to emergencies and protracted crises.
A further estimated €272 million of Ireland’s overall ODA will be managed through other Government Departments and Ireland’s share of the EU Development Co-operation Budget. This represents an increase of €65 million on 2018.
