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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 5

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

31 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the audit of fairness and effectiveness which has been carried out on overseas development aid given to Uganda and Zambia in view of the sums already given and due to be given and the concern of GOAL and others in relation to the way in which this money is used. [29164/01]

It is not clear to which oversight process the Deputy is referring. However, I would point out that all of the elements of the Irish programme of development co-operation are subject to stringent processes of evaluation, monitoring, accountability and oversight. They include, reporting to the Committee of Public Accounts, an audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General, the annual external audit by reputable companies of the accounts of the diplomatic missions managing country programmes, the examination by internal auditors of financial procedures and particular budget lines at home and abroad, a system of advance approval by interdepartmental committee of all budget lines and of all individual programme proposals, and the approval by the same committee at two different levels of three-year strategies for country programmes. In addition, there is an ethos of evaluation in the programme and the evaluation and audit unit carries out a series of evaluations of various aspects of the programme each year.

Ireland has well-established programmes in Zambia and Uganda which focus on poverty reduction through meeting basic needs. The sectoral concentration of these programmes is on basic health care, including HIV/AIDS, primary education, water and sanitation, basic access roads and good governance. As regards good governance, the programme actively promotes, as a core part of the programme, the building of responsible government and respect for rights.

I should mention that the Irish programme approach is to develop, in partnership with each government, a three-year strategy, which like the EU's approach on structural funding in Ireland, ties local funding to Irish aid allocations. The Irish programme's funding is, among other things, pledged to the building of schools, the training of teachers, the construction of health centres, the building of labour-based dirt roads, the installation of water and sanitation systems; and the programme's funds are matched by agreed government funds. This gives Ireland Aid a wide level of oversight over the manner in which funding is disbursed.

Question No. 32 answered with Question No. 7.

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

33 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he expects to receive the report of the Ireland Aid Review Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29236/01]

The Ireland Aid Review Committee, which last met on 15 November, is in the final stages of its work, including the preparation of its report and recom mendations. This process is likely to be completed within a matter of weeks.

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