Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Subheads A1 and A2 are fine. With regard to A3 and the Africa section, I understand the focus is on the least developed countries, LDCs. Ireland met the UN target of spending at least 0.15% of its GNI on overseas development to LDCs in 2015. This does not seem to have happened in 2017. Will the Minister of State confirm that the target will be met in 2018?

Do the figures include any funding for new EU policies in Africa that are focused on migration or does it come under the European Development Fund, EDF? Again, this is deeply concerning and is an instrument of moving EU aid way from what I believe is genuine and sustainable development in favour of migration control, securitisation and the private sector in donor countries.

Section A4 is fine. I have a concern about the provision in subhead A5 of €5 million for the EU-Turkey deal. As other members have said, we have repeatedly stated our concern about and deep opposition to this deal. I believe it hampers the human rights of refugees and is effectively a bribe to Erdoan's autocratic regime. I also wish to flag the €45.6 million due to be spent on the EDF. Many members have raised this issue and are concerned about accountability for multilateral spending. I am thankful that we have had some meetings on the issue, and some of our concerns have been clarified. I am, however, concerned that the EDF is largely unaccountable and that Ireland does not have enough influence to ensure that its work is in line with Ireland's priorities. If, for example, we give money to the EDF, how can we say that 100% of Ireland's ODA is untied? The EDF has openly admitted that EU aid is partially tied. There is a contradiction there. It is probably a debate for another day but I have concerns about it.