Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which Ireland’s bilateral and multilateral aid programme continues to address hunger and starvation at various locations across the globe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34212/21]
View answerIreland has been a long-standing champion of global efforts to reduce hunger and starvation. The roots of hunger lie in poverty, deprivation and exclusion, exacerbated by conflict, climate change - and now COVID-19. The eradication of hunger and a particular focus on tackling undernutrition has been a cornerstone of Ireland’s development programme since its inception.
‘A Better World’, Ireland’s policy for international development, makes a clear commitment to reaching the furthest behind first, including through an emphasis on food systems. For example, we allocated €25 million this year to the World Food Programme, €8 million of which was targeted to the response in Syria.
Successive OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) peer reviews have commended Ireland’s development cooperation for its poverty focus and commitment to Least Developed Countries. The OECD DAC’s most recent review, published in May 2020, notes that Ireland 'walks the talk' in allocating ODA to least developed countries and fragile states, priority partners and sectors. The ODI, a leading development think-tank, has also ranked Ireland as the most effective international donor in directing resources to those in extreme poverty.
Ireland works with a variety of partners in order to reach those in greatest need around the world. Our work through the EU and United Nations give Ireland a significant global presence and footprint, including in fragile states and conflict-affected contexts. Our partnerships with Irish and other NGOs enable us to emphasize food and malnutrition in our programmes, and target assistance to those most at risk of hunger.
