Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021
155. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total overseas development aid budget for 2021; if he will provide details of the way this money is to be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3013/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIreland's budget allocation this year for Official Development Aid (ODA), also known as Irish Aid, is €868 million, an increase of €30 million on the 2020 allocation.
Of this total, €571 million is allocated to the Department of Foreign Affairs. €159 million is accounted for by Ireland's share of the EU Development Cooperation Budget. The remaining €138 million is allocated to other Departments, in particular the Departments of Finance and Agriculture and Food.
A Better World, the White Paper on Irish international development, provides the guiding framework, with Irish assistance targeting those furthest behind. A number of complementary channels are used, including United Nations and other multilateral institutions, civil society organisations and humanitarian agencies, and country programmes managed by Irish Embassies, to ensure that our ODA is directed appropriately and effectively. An OECD review of Irish ODA published last year found Ireland to be an 'excellent humanitarian donor', 'a successful influencer of global policies' and remarked on the 'quality partnerships' with civil society. For the second successive year, Ireland was found by a respected think tank, ODI, in its 2020 index to be the most principled donor.
