Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The latest figures show that four countries - Sweden, Luxembourg, Denmark and the UK - have met the 0.7% GNI target. The UK did so just this year. Ireland's ODA level stood at 0.45% of GNI in 2013, which placed us joint seventh in the EU table. This is against a background of being in the troika programme and in an economic crisis over the past five or six years. Overall, the EU maintained progress in delivering on its pledges, although the position varies greatly from member state to member state. For example, 16 member states increased their aid by a total of €4.1 billion while 12 decreased their aid by a total of €1.2 billion. Ireland was the only programme country that increased its aid, despite the difficult circumstances we are in. We must view the figures against that backdrop. We have made a commitment to reach the 0.7% GNI target as economic circumstances allow us to do. That remains our commitment and we will deliver on that.

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