Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The high-level goals of the Department of Foreign Affairs address the full range of Ireland's foreign policy objectives. Successful delivery of its objectives is critically dependent upon the effective management of the Department's resources and its ability to adapt and to manage change. As part of the Government's fiscal adjustment process, the Department has undergone a reduction in the financial resources available to it. The Department's budget for this year is 21% less than its outturn expenditure for 2008. Naturally, this reduction in resources has had some impact on the speed at which we attain our objectives.

Beyond the question of resources, the delivery of our objectives also depends on the context and environment in which we operate. Our credibility abroad and our international reputation are as important as the availability of resources. An important element in Ireland's success over recent years has been its ability to be a constructive and reliable partner in the conduct of foreign policy. Our ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances has been another aspect that has served as strength.

There is no doubt that events in 2008 and 2009 have tested our ability, as a country, to respond to changing circumstances. During this period, the Department has been working very hard to ensure that our international reputation is preserved and our international partners fully understand the Government's strategy for recovery. It is also fair to say that the outcome of the Lisbon treaty referendum last summer further complicated this task.

The achievement of the specific high-level goals of the Department is kept under regular review. Earlier this month, the Minister convened a meeting of the heads of mission of all our embassies to review the goals and re-examine our priorities.

At that conference, it was stressed to the heads of mission that advancement of our economic interests overseas was of paramount importance in the coming period. I note Deputy Timmins made this point a few moments ago. To ensure that the Department continues to maximise its performance, a strategy and performance unit has been established dedicated to overseeing the review of the Department's structures. I greatly regret that in response to budgetary pressures the Government was obliged to make the short-term reductions outlined by the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, on the overseas development aid, ODA, side.

Adjustments were implemented across the programme in such a way as to minimise the impact in any single area. While the cut in the ODA allocation for 2009 is significant, as the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, has stated, this follows a period of unprecedented increases in ODA volumes. We face a specifically difficult period and the allocation of €696 million for 2009 on ODA represents a trebling in the volume of ODA delivered over the past ten years.

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