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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Jan 2000

Vol. 513 No. 2

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

59 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total level of Ireland Aid for 1999 and 2000; the subtotals, in amounts and percentages, for bilateral, multilateral and other expenditure for each year; the GNP for each year; the percentage of GNP represented by Ireland Aid; the latest estimate of Ireland Aid for 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2034/00]

The following table provides the information sought:

Particulars

1999

2000

GNP £m

(D/Finance estimate, ESA 95 system, valid 19.01.2000)

58,200.000

63,925.000

Estimated Official Development Assistance (ODA)

178.309

190.498

ODA as a percentage of GNP

0.31%

0.30%

Bilateral Aid £m

98.742

120.605

Bilateral aid as a percentage of total ODA

55.4%

63.3%

Multilateral Aid

76.142

66.243

Multilateral aid as a percentage of total ODA

42.7%

34.8%

Other aid

3.425

3.650

Other aid as a percentage of ODA

1.9%

1.9%

Figures for ODA for 1999 and 2000 are current best estimates. A range of variables covering payments to international organisations, tax deductibility, refugee costs, the aid element of the EU budget, administrative costs etc will be checked by March at which time more accurate estimates should be available. Given the number of variables involved in estimating ODA, any estimate for 2001 would be unreliable at this stage.
We accept and are committed to reaching the UN target for all donors of 0.7% of GNP. We have in addition set an interim target of 0.45% of GNP to be reached in the lifetime of the Government.
However, our efforts to make progress to these targets have been complicated by the high growth in GNP since 1996 and also by the recent switch across the EU to a new system of calculating GNP in member states which increases the base GNP figure. Both these developments have adversely affected the trajectory to the UN and interim targets.
Despite this, the Government is pledged to increasing ODA by significant cash amounts year on year and to making credible progress to the targets. The three year agreement between the Ministers for Finance and Foreign Affairs on allo cations over 1999, 2000 and 2001 is evidence of the Government's determination on the matter. Negotiations on extending these multi-annual allocations arrangement will commence shortly.
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