Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 October 2018
61. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which Irish aid remains unconditional in view of the fact that other jurisdictions are seeking trade for aid throughout Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40546/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas development assistance programme, and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. Ireland’s development assistance programme is sharply focused on delivering our goals of reducing poverty and hunger, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth and building more equitable and better systems of governance. Last month, the Overseas Development Institute, a leading think tank, found that Ireland’s development programme was the most efficient in the world at targeting those in extreme poverty.
A key principle underpinning Irish development cooperation is that it should remain untied - that is, not conditional on acquiring goods and services from Ireland. This is regularly positively remarked upon by the OECD Development Assistance Committee in their regular assessments of Ireland’s international development cooperation and humanitarian programmes.
Funding for multilateral organisations is kept under regular review by my Department, to ensure that it is targeted effectively, and channelled through partners who can contribute most effectively to delivering agreed priorities. In this way, Ireland is playing a strong role in supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Throughout, the ability of these funding channels to reach the poorest and most fragile countries and regions in the world, and deliver real results on the ground, is at the forefront of Ireland’s engagement. Untying aid – removing the legal and regulatory barriers to open competition for aid-funded procurement – increases aid effectiveness by reducing transaction costs and improving the ability of partner countries to set their own course. Ireland is leading the way in this by making its bilateral Official Development Assistance 100% untied.
For example, Ireland has been to the forefront in encouraging the EU and its Member States to untie more of their aid. Progress is being made. The proportion of EU and Member State aid that is untied now stands at over 80%. The European Commission has increased its share of untied aid from 48% in 2010 to 72% in 2016. We will continue to encourage further progress in that regard and maintain our international record of keeping our ODA 100% untied.
