asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government's commitment to achieve the UN target of granting .7 per cent of our GNP by way of aid to the Third World by the end of the 1980's will be met.
37.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Third World Commitment.
36.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will indicate the Government's reasoning behind their decision not to meet the undertaking given by both the Fine Gael and Labour Parties in the course of the last general election on the commitment to increase Third World aid by .05 per cent of GNP each year; and if it is intended to continue to decrease the amount committed by the Government in 1984, 1985 and 1986.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 37 together.
Ireland's official development assistance in 1983 will amount to £30.076 million. This represents an increase of £5.468 million or more than 22 per cent over the expected outturn of £24.608 million in 1982. The 1983 figure includes £3 million of voted monies in addition to those contained in the Book of Estimates published in November 1982.
ODA in 1983 will amount to .23 per cent of GNP as against .21 per cent in 1982, an increase of .02 per cent.
The Joint Programme for Government of 12 December 1982 states that the Government will adhere to the commitment to increase development aid by .05 per cent of GNP each year until the UN target of 0.7 per cent is reached. However, in the present difficult budgetary situation, it was not possible this year to go beyond the increase to which I have already referred.
As ODA in 1983 has, nevertheless, been increased substantially in real terms, the Deputy's reference to an assumed intention on the part of the Government to continue to decrease aid in the years 1984, 1985 and 1986 is not understood.
It appears the Minister answered the latter part of the question about a decrease in 1984-85. The Coalition have broken a solemn promise given in their joint declaration. Once again they have failed to realise that we as a nation benefit from the Third World as well as contributing towards it——
A question please.
Is the Minister saying he is not going to meet the commitment given in their joint programme? Is that correct?
Not this year because of the financial mess we inherited.
Obviously the same will apply next year.
We will improve things by next year.
Will the Minister give a detailed breakdown under each heading in the Book of Estimates? Is that information available?
I did not hear the Deputy's supplementary.
The Minister probably has the information in his brief. A provision for 1983 would support the figures of £24.5 million and over £30 million in 1982-83, but I have seen no evidence in the Book of Estimates to back up the statement he has just made.
I suggest that the Deputy read the Book of Estimates more carefully or perhaps get somebody more experienced to bring him through it. The figures are in the Book of Estimates.
The Coalition have once again broken their promise.
In view of the Minister's stated doubts about the use that certain moneys overseas were put to, is he satisfied that these moneys, as allocated, are wisely and properly spent?
I am well satisfied. I want to make it clear that I am in favour of as much overseas aid as we can give, but because of our limited resources and the size of the problem we have to be careful how this money is spent.
There are two Private Notice Questions——
I would like to raise the subject matter of Question No. 281 of 9 February 1983.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
The remaining questions will appear on to-morrow's Order Paper.