Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
267. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to allocate funding to an organisation (details supplied) in 2021 and 2022 in view of the recent announcement by the UK Government that it plans to implement an approximate 85% funding cut to the programme in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25194/21]
View answer268. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to increase Ireland's core contribution to an organisation (details supplied) in 2021 and 2022 in view of the recent announcement by the UK Government that it will cut £12 million from its core operating funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25195/21]
View answer269. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent decision by the UK Government to implement devastating funding cuts to an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25196/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 267, 268 and 269 together.
The Government's policy on international development, A Better World, attaches a high priority to gender equality. That is why Ireland is the 14th largest core contributor to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the 24th largest contributor overall - supporting UNFPA's vital work in promoting universal access to health services, strengthening health systems globally, and preventing and responding to gender based violence.
My Department is aware of recent cuts in funding to UNFPA and other UN development agencies. We are working with our partners to assess the impact of these cuts and to ensure the continuation of their essential work. The upcoming (June 2021) meeting of UNFPA’s Executive Board, of which Ireland is currently an observer, provides an opportunity for further discussions.
Our funding to UN agencies is reviewed periodically, in the light of allocations to the official development assistance budget, and in view of agencies’ performance and the wider range of international development priorities to which Ireland seeks to respond. A €3.5 million core contribution to UNFPA has been made in 2021, in line with contributions in 2020 and 2019 and compared to €2.8 million in 2018.
In addition to the annual core contribution, Ireland also provides funding to UNFPA through bilateral programmes managed by our Embassies, which varies from year to year. In 2020, this additional funding to UNFPA amounted to €1.8 million. Ireland does not provide direct funding to the UNFPA Supplies Programme.
Ireland also contributes to UNFPA through the EU. Collectively the EU and its Member States are the single largest financial contributor to the UN system, providing 25% of contributions to UN agencies. The European Commission provided US$43 million to UNFPA in 2019.
