Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being slightly delayed in getting to this session. I commend the work being done by the Department, Irish Aid and all our embassies and consular staff across the world because Irish Aid is a pillar of Irish foreign policy. The credibility of our commitments, in particular in respect of overseas development aid, is crucially important because they are public commitments and it is, therefore, the responsibility of the Government and Oireachtas to follow through on them.

I wish to specifically discuss the commitment of 0.7% of gross national income, GNI, to which the Minister of State referred. He stated that the Taoiseach recently reiterated a commitment to reach the UN target of 0.7% of gross national income by 2030, which was mentioned last year by the Minister of State's predecessor, Deputy McHugh, and then moved off the stage and not mentioned for some time. It is important that those commitments be given but there must then be movement towards meeting them, as has been discussed across party at this committee. My belief as spokesperson on foreign affairs and trade, and that of my party, is that it must be done on a cross-party and multi-annual basis. It will not be achieved if we keep dealing with it on an annual basis and there is no point repeating that it will. In terms of the challenge facing Ireland in that regard, €707 million or 0.3% of GNI was allocated to official development aid, ODA, in 2017. Allowing for recognised growth rates, an increase of approximately €400 million will be required, bringing the total to €1.1 billion, if we are to reach 0.4% by 2022. However, to reach 0.7% by 2030 would require Ireland to pay €2.459 billion. I want us to get to 0.7% but we will have to pay that amount to so do and unless a big initial leap is made in the budget of this Government or the next, as was done in Britain, that will not be possible. A significant jump of approximately €200 million per annum up to 2020 would be required to get to 0.35% and then 0.4% thereafter. I recently tabled questions to the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Coveney, on this issue which were answered by the Minister of State. Members know how that target can be attained but I ask in the context of this discussion and the review of Irish Aid that the Government begin addressing the issue on a multi-annual basis. The Minister of State will have a partner in my party in that regard. The coming three years should be planned for and each of the political parties and Independents allowed to have an input. I propose that be done through the Committee on Budgetary Oversight as the Government will be submitting its plans to it. Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and the Independents could agree that a pot of money is available and discuss whether an extra €200 million should be committed to official development aid. That must be done. There is no point in the Taoiseach or his successor saying we want and are going to hit 0.7% unless there is movement towards achieving that. I do not mean that in any disrespectful way. In the context of the current review of Irish Aid, I ask the Minister of State to make a policy decision that Irish Aid funding be allocated on an initial three-year cycle with a target of 0.35% by 2020 and state how that will be done and what money will be needed. A target of 0.4% by 2022 can then be set and how that will be achieved can be set out. The Minister of State understands my point. That must be done or there is no point discussing the target. The work being done is not being undermined but the credibility of our international commitments is very important in terms of issues such as seeking a seat on the UN Security Council. The Minister of State is aware of that as he is currently responsible for such matters. We have to see that through.

My final point regards the definition of overseas development aid and a possible change in that regard. We should keep the current definition but include expenditure for in-country refugee costs, peacekeeping and so on. I completely agree with the points made by the Vice Chair, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, regarding oversight of multilateral aid programmes. There is a need for such programmes but we do not have enough oversight. As a Deputy and spokesperson for my party on this area, I could not get a commitment or clarity that none of the money we contribute to the EU-Turkey arrangement was being used for security purposes such as barriers and so on instead of solely for refugee and aid assistance. The Minister of State understands my point. We need to define official development aid and prevent money being taken out of the ODA pot if, for example, €30 million is needed to provide assistance for a catastrophe.

If we are to reach the 0.7% target, we should deal with it as a programme. We have the best of programmes running and the best of people responsible for them but if that target is a cornerstone of our foreign policy, as I believe it to be, we must start moving toward it.