Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Budget 2020 allocated €20.8 million for ODA, an increase of 2.5% from 2019, resulting in a total ODA package of €837 million. I recognise that budget 2020 was framed in the context of Brexit. As a result, I welcome the increase in ODA. Information released under freedom of information regarding budget negotiations indicates that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated in an email to the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform that in order to remain at the Government target of 0.31%, Vote 27 will require an increase of €50 million and that it recognises, in this difficult economic situation, that further increases in the Government's ODA percentage will be very difficult but requests that the Departments agree a roadmap to reach the Government's commitment of 0.7% by 2030. The email suggests including specific reference to this in the Budget Statement. As far as I am aware, despite the requests from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister for Finance did not refer to a roadmap in the Budget Statement. What prospect is there of putting in place a roadmap for this issue?

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