Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, for his reply. I wish him well in his appointment. I also wish the Minister, Deputy Martin, well — I did not mention that at the outset.

Irish Aid is granted a great deal of money amounting to €814 million this year from his Department, or €914 million across all Departments. Irish Aid will come under the microscope increasingly to ensure we are getting value for money.

One of the areas where Irish Aid has been spent well is in the World Food Programme. With the increase in world food prices, what implications are there for the aid granted to that programme and is the Minister of State giving consideration to moving aid from the current programmes to the World Food Programme?

As I did not get an opportunity to stay on at the committee yesterday, I want to ask him about the smaller groups looking for funding for small projects. I refer to individuals or small NGOs, as opposed to the likes of Trócaire or Concern. My understanding from a few people who have approached the Department is that they have found the rules of engagement too cumbersome to make a submission worthwhile.

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