Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for missing the earlier part of the Minister of State's presentation. In the aftermath of the fraud discovered in Uganda, senior officials from the Department and the director of Irish Aid gave a full presentation to this committee on the progress that had been made in that country. At a time when every household in Ireland is facing challenges it is difficult for the Government to maintain the overseas aid budget at an acceptable level. It would be useful to communicate to the public the benefits that have accrued to the most deprived of people from programmes that Irish Aid funded in Uganda and elsewhere. In respect of Uganda, we learned about the great progress that has been made in educational attainment and retention at primary level and in the development of health facilities. Awareness of these successes would help to maintain public support for Irish Aid programmes and the NGOs which are currently finding it difficult to raise funds.

Much of the support provided by the United States and other major powers is in the form of tied aid. Have any proposals been made at European Union level on weaning countries off tied aid? Untied aid is clearly more beneficial to recipient countries.