Vol. 509 No. 6
154 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which it is intended to augment the multilateral aid programme, particularly to the increasing needs of developing countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21066/99]
Almost 40 per cent of Irish aid is channelled through multilateral development assistance agencies. A significant part of these funds take the form of mandatory contributions to the EU's development activities, the World Bank Group and UN agriculture and food agencies.
Ireland also makes voluntary contributions to a wide variety of UN agencies. Such donations have increased very substantially in recent years – from £2.5 million in 1993 to £8.4 million this year. The number of UN programmes receiving such funding has also substantially increased, although the three major recipients – the UN Development Programme, UN High Commission for Refugees and UNICEF between them receive about 60 per cent of available funds. Irish Aid would hope to continue steady increases in such voluntary contributions.
Contributions to multilateral bodies are designed to accord as closely as possible with the focus of Irish aid on poverty reduction. Our funding of UN bodies also takes into account their record in implementing reform and enhancing cooperation with other agencies.
Funds are directed where possible towards programmes designed to address basic needs in food and livelihood security, clean water, access to primary health and education services. Ireland is working through the EU, UN and international financial institutions to develop and implement programmes which enhance the development prospects of poor countries, including, in the case of the EU, through a successor arrangement to the Lomé Convention.
The Government agreed in September 1998 that priority was to be given to the issue of debt in developing countries and that funds of £31.5 million would be devoted to this purpose. Most of this money has been allocated to multilateral debt relief directed through the heavily indebted poor countries initiative administered by the World Bank and IMF.
