Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
520. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the increase to official development assistance announced in Budget 2022 in real terms; the percentage spend on same for 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51305/21]
View answer521. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland’s commitment to reaching a spend of 0.7% of GNI on official development assistance by 2030 is still official policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51306/21]
View answer522. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will now publish a roadmap to reaching 0.7% of GNI on official development assistance by 2030 in view of Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51307/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520, 521 and 522 together.
In Budget 2022, the Government allocated €1.044 billion. This is a 20% increase on the 2021 allocation, and the highest ever amount allocated to ODA by any Government. In the context of competing budgetary pressures, achieving this amount was an important statement by the Government of Ireland's solidarity with the developing world.
Given the strength of the economic recovery, this 20% increase in the overall cash allocation to ODA will, I anticipate, correspond to 0.32% of GNI for 2022.
While I am very proud that we have increased our ODA so considerably this year, I recognize the need to continue to strive for increases in GNI percentage terms. This must be balanced against the need to manage the large cash increases required. My Department is currently reviewing and building systems that will enable our development programme to grow further, including as a proportion of GNI, in a sustainable and responsible way. This includes working in coordination with the many other Government Departments and bodies spending Official Development Assistance, and with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, on how a growing ODA allocation can be managed most effectively across Departments. This work will inform whether it might be possible and appropriate to provide a roadmap to 0.7% for 2030.
