Written Answers. - Increase in Estimates.
Michael P. Kitt
Ceist:
57
Mr. M. Kitt
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
the reason for the large increase for international organisations in the Estimates in view of the urgent need to continue expansion of the Bi-Lateral Aid Programme.
[2467/95]
The 1995 Estimates provide for an increase of £18.6 million in Ireland's Official Development Assistance (ODA) this year.
£14.7 million or 79 per cent of the additional funds will be allocated to bilateral assistance; and an additional £3.5 million or almost 19 per cent of the increase will go to meet our commitments to multilateral aid programmes. Our funding for the Bilateral Aid Programme, which is met from Subhead C of the Vote for International Co-operation, will increase by 59 per cent this year as compared with the provisional outturn for 1994.
The decision to allocate the greater part of the additional funds being made available to bilateral aid is in accordance with the approach set out inIrish Aid: Consolidation and Growth, the Strategy Plan published by the Department of Foreign Affairs in July 1993. Paragraph 4.4 on page 17 of that document said:
While it is hoped that both bilateral and multilateral expenditure will increase substantially over the next four years, it is intended that bilateral funding will increase at a faster rate than multilateral.
This strategy plan was endorsed in the programme forA Government of Renewal in the following terms:
We will sustain the commitment to the developing world set out in the Irish Aid Strategy document, and will pursue the priorities established by that document.
I would point out, by way of clarification, that the funding for ODA is provided, for the most part, under Subheads of the Vote for International Co-operation other than Subhead A, Contributions to International Organisations. The provision in the latter Subhead is up by 36 per cent this year. However, only a small part of the funds provided under Subhead A go to ODA. The greater part goes to meet Ireland's contributions to international organisations such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe many of which are mandatory; and the increase in the subhead is occasioned by the fact that in a number of cases we have had to make provisions for increased contributions this year.
