Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence
Dóchas Pre-Budget Submission: Discussion
Ms Jane-Ann McKenna:
I thank the committee for the invitation to meet with and brief it on the issues and recommendations outlined in Dóchas's pre-budget submission 2025. We will officially be launching our submission next week. Today, I will outline some of the key budgetary asks and policy areas which we would like to see prioritised in 2025 and beyond. As we approach the end of this Government and the last five years for achieving the sustainable development goals, now is a critical time for Ireland to stand in solidarity with the global south and fulfil our commitment to supporting those who are furthest behind.
The escalating conflicts in Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine and the impact of El Niño in southern Africa and other climate shocks around the world are having a devastating impact and effect on the lives of millions of people. Over 292 million people around the world will need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024 due to conflicts, climate and other drivers. Of this figure, 74.1 million people are in east and southern Africa, of whom 25 million are in Sudan. Worryingly, international funding for these crises is below target and the levels of response to global appeals currently stands at 16%. Ireland's solidarity with those in the global south and its leadership on upholding humanitarian principles, supporting human rights and ending hunger is greatly valued by our sector and the Irish public.
The Tánaiste and the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Simon Coveney, have reaffirmed their commitment to Ireland's overseas aid programme through successive budgets of this Government. We must act more decisively now, however, to prevent the reversal of decades of progress towards ending poverty. Budget 2025 is the last opportunity for this Government and Oireachtas to set a course to realise Ireland's international commitment for a better, more peaceful and sustainable world. We need to accelerate progress to reach our commitment on spending 0.7% of our gross national income, GNI, on official development assistance overseas by 2030. Realising our target of 0.7% will provide the resources needed to match Ireland's policy on reaching the furthest behind first.
We are calling on the Government to commit to taking ambitious, accelerated and transformative action to address food insecurity, tackle the climate emergency and end structural inequality. The Government must respond urgently to escalating humanitarian needs, while also tackling the long-term root causes of why humanitarian emergencies occur in the first place. It must recognise the interconnectedness of climate change, poverty and exclusion as drivers of conflict, displacement, food insecurity and protection risks.
A more agile approach is needed. The Government should ensure that Ireland's humanitarian and development assistance is committed to locally led initiatives that enable local communities to build long-term resilience. Civil society and local actors, including women's rights organisations, traditional and community leaders, local authorities, national and local civil society organisations, offer greater and more direct access to affected people, contributing to more effective, efficient and sustainable action. Efforts must be made to ensure that they can operate in an environment where they can succeed. Without deliberate global policies to accelerate progress, at least 492 million people will be left in extreme poverty by 2030.
I am joined by Mr. Fearghal O'Connell, CEO of Self Help Africa, Ms Karol Balfe, CEO of Action Aid Ireland, and Ms Réiseal Ní Chéilleachair, head of international advocacy with Concern Worldwide, all of whom will outline our asks in respect of sustainable food systems, climate and a fairer financial system.
We know that this committee has been a strong champion for sustainable development and for the calls of Dóchas and its members. We recognise the consistent record of Irish Aid as a humanitarian donor and the support of the committee to deliver Ireland’s commitment to reaching the furthest behind.
In 2025, we ask the Irish Government to make real progress to realise our commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030 by increasing the ODA budget in 2025 by €292 million and publish a pathway to achieving this. This would bring us to 0.37% and put us on track to achieve our target. Incremental annual increases will not be enough to meet our commitment of 0.7%.
We also ask the Irish Government to deliver on our commitment of €225 million per annum of climate finance at a minimum, and set a pathway to increase this allocation to Ireland’s actual fair share, which is €500 million per annum.
Finally, we ask the Irish Governments to ensure that 25% of all Irish ODA is allocated to locally-led humanitarian, development and peace initiatives that can deliver support directly to affected populations.
I will now hand over Feargal O’Connell, who will share the impact of climate change on the communities that Self Help Africa supports.
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