Joan Burton
Ceist:99 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the role Ireland Aid is playing in monitoring the IMF's poverty reduction and growth facility in the field. [26213/02]
Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.
The overall objective of Ireland Aid, confirmed by the report of the Ireland Aid Review Committee and endorsed by the Government, is poverty eradication in the world's poorest countries. Ireland Aid's development co-operation activities in its six programme countries in sub-Saharan Africa are closely aligned with country-owned poverty reduction strategy papers, PRSPs.
The PRSPs are taken into account by the IMF in the implementation of its poverty reduction and growth facility, PRGF, which is the IMF's low-interest lending facility for poor countries. The PRGF is designed to be supportive of PRSPs and sensitive to their poverty focus. We would not wish to see any conditionalities attached to the PRGF in its implementation which might have the effect of undermining country-owned PRSPs.
Ireland Aid maintains close contact with the regional representatives of both the IMF and the World Bank and monitors the implementation of PRSPs and PRGFs. We also work closely with the Department of Finance in briefing our national representative in the office of the IMF's executive director in preparation for discussions within the fund on the PRSP/PRGF processes generally and on individual issues considered by the board of the fund.
In a number of our programme countries, Ireland Aid personnel are involved in discussions with the IMF country director, or other senior officials of the fund, on the PRGF missions in these countries.
In July this year, at the launch of the Government's policy on developing country debt, the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, announced a commitment of €1.5 million over three years to support the activities of Debt Relief International, a non-profit making organisation which helps developing countries to manage their borrowing and their existing debts. This should increase the latter's capacity to represent their own interests in the PRGF and the PRSP processes.
We are planning to deepen our own engagement with the IMF and the World Bank over the coming years. This will facilitate closer involvement in monitoring of the PRGF and the PRSP processes.