Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

It is estimated that Ireland's spending on official development assistance, ODA, for 2008 will reach 0.54% of GNP. The Government is committed to reaching the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNP on ODA by 2012. We remain on course to meet that objective. I am confident that this year Ireland will also maintain its position as the sixth most generous per capita donor in the world, which was confirmed by the OECD for 2007.

During the 2008 Estimates process, the Government allocated €914 million to ODA. Some €814 million was allocated to Vote 29 — international co-operation — of the Department of Foreign Affairs and an estimated €100 million to other Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU development co-operation budget. This allocation, based on the then estimated GNP, was made to achieve a target of 0.54% of GNP in 2008.

As the House is aware, in light of the changed economic situation, the Government reviewed current expenditure allocations across all Departments in July. The overall ODA allocation for 2008 was revised to €899 million, which continued to ensure that the ODA target as a percentage of GNP would be met. Adjustments of €45 million were identified which brought the revised allocation managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, through Irish Aid, to €769 million.

The Government's priorities remain as set out in the White Paper on Irish Aid. Assistance to sub-Saharan Africa will continue to be the top priority, as will measures to counter climate change and rising food prices, investment in education, health, the fight against HIV-AIDS, good governance and efforts to promote gender equality. These are the issues that have the most impact on those least able to cope.

The Government is now at an advanced stage in preparing the budget for 2009. The Deputy will be aware that all public expenditure allocations for 2009 are subject to decisions taken in this process and that the Minister for Finance will present the budget to the House on 14 October.

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