Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Tá mé ag súil go mór leis an obair atá romhainn maidir le cúrsaí forbartha idirnáisiúnta agus cúrsaí diaspóra. Tá mé ag súil go mór freisin le bheith ag obair le chéile le mo chomhghleacaithe ar an taobh seo den Teach agus le mo chomhghleacaithe éagsúla i dTeach Laighean. Ar nóta pearsanta, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta O'Brien mar ag an am a tháinig mé isteach i bpost Aire Stáit na Gaeltachta fuair mé cuidiú mór uaidh agus spreagadh freisin. Bhí mé fíorbhuíoch de mar bhí mé faoi bhrú agus bhí mé sa choirnéal.

I will give this English language a go now. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme and to its place at the heart of Ireland's foreign policy. The Government has restated this clearly in the programme for Government. The Government's policy for international development, One World, One Future, articulates clearly its commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of gross national product, GNP, as official development assistance, ODA. The programme for Government sets out the Government's ambition to make progress towards the UN target as resources permit. It is important that such progress be made in a sustainable and manageable way that strengthens Ireland's recognised role as a reliable and effective partner in providing humanitarian assistance and contributing to the fight to end global poverty and hunger.

Since 2011, Ireland has provided more than €3.8 billion in ODA. This has involved significant annual contributions in excess of €600 million at a time of great economic difficulty. Over this time, the Taoiseach and Ministers have stated consistently that we would make progress towards the 0.7% target once economic conditions allow.

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