Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)

In 2011, it is estimated that we will spend approximately €669 million on official development assistance, ODA. This will equate to 0.52% of our Gross National Product, GNP, and remains a very clear demonstration of Ireland's commitment to the reduction of poverty in the developing world. In our programme for Government we committed ourselves to the 0.7% of GNP target for ODA and we will seek to achieve this by 2015. This objective aligns Ireland with the wider EU commitment to the same target.

Ireland's aid programme is strongly focused on some of the world's poorest countries, especially in Africa. Our aim is to work strategically and in partnership with those countries so that, ultimately, development aid will no longer be necessary and our relationship with Africa and the entire developing world will be one of trade, commerce and the mutual interests of our peoples.

As the Deputy is aware, annual ODA allocations, as with all departmental allocations, are agreed during the Estimates process and will be set within the overall budgetary framework and fiscal constraints facing the country in the coming years. While final budget allocations are ultimately a matter for the Minister for Finance, I assure the Deputy I will make the strongest possible case for each year's development aid allocation.

Our aid programme has been consistently and independently rated as one of the world's best. Ireland is acknowledged as a significant global player in development and our aid programme has been marked by its quality and focus on the poor. One of its greatest strengths is the strong public and cross-party support it enjoys, which draws from the fundamental commitment of the Irish people to work with those less fortunate than ourselves. The Government is determined to build on these foundations of strong national ownership and respected international reputation to ensure Irish Aid remains at the cutting edge of efforts to reduce global poverty and hunger, even at this time of economic difficulty at home.

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