Dáil debates

Tuesday, 11 March 2008

Other Questions

Overseas Development Aid.

3:00 pm

Photo of Deirdre CluneDeirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proportion of overseas aid paid to each of the top 12 recipient countries that was channelled through Irish non-governmental organisations in 2007; the proportion of planned aid expenditure in each of the years 2008 to 2012 that will be channelled through Irish NGOs in each of those countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10351/08]

Photo of Tom HayesTom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proportion of overseas aid paid to each of the top 12 recipient countries that was channelled through the Government of each of those countries in 2007; the proportion of planned overseas aid expenditure in each of the years 2008 to 2012 that will be channelled through each of those Governments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10350/08]

Photo of Deirdre CluneDeirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proportion of overseas aid paid to each of the top 12 recipient countries that was channelled through non-Irish non-governmental organisations in 2007; the proportion of planned aid expenditure in those countries in each of the years 2008 to 2012 that will be channelled through non-Irish NGOs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10352/08]

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of Government overseas aid spent in each of the top 12 recipient countries in 2007; the amount of such aid that is planned to be spent in each of these countries in each of the years 2008 to 2012; his plans to change the regional focus of overseas aid in the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10354/08]

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 91, 102 and 113 together.

In 2008 Ireland's spending on overseas development aid will reach €914 million. This level of expenditure, the highest in the history of the programme, represents 0.54 % of GNP. It will ensure that Ireland remains one of the most generous donors in the world on a per capita basis. We are well on track to meeting the UN target of spending 0.7% on overseas development aid by 2012, three years ahead of the EU commitment.

Most of this funding — €814 million — comes under Vote 29, international co-operation, which is managed by my Department. A further estimated €100 million will be spent by other Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU development co-operation budget.

The latest year for which we have detailed expenditure on an individual country level is 2006. The final figures for expenditure in 2007 are awaiting returns from our partner organisations. They will be published in our 2007 annual report.

The 12 countries which received the largest volumes of overseas development aid in 2006 were as follows: Uganda, €44.8 million; Mozambique, €41.8 million; Ethiopia, €39.4 million; Tanzania, €30.5 million; Zambia, €24.2 million; Sudan, €15 million; South Africa, €14.7 million; Kenya, €11.8 million; Lesotho, €10.8 million; Democratic Republic of Congo, €9.9 million; Sierra Leone, €8.8 million; and Zimbabwe, €8.3 million.

The funding administered by Irish Aid is delivered through a wide range of partners including governments, non-governmental organisations, missionaries, UN funds and programmes, international organisations and humanitarian agencies. Funding is delivered via local, regional and national government systems aimed at, inter alia, building health, education and local government systems. Irish Aid uses a number of modalities and funding mechanisms to manage overseas development aid ranging from sector wide supports, mainly in health and education, to projects and, in some countries, to general budget support.

Overall, €260 million was provided to the above 12 countries in 2006. A summarised breakdown of this would show some €81 million being channelled through NGOs and approximately €118 million through partner country government systems and structures. The remainder was either implemented directly by Irish Aid, or delivered through multilateral organisations.

As regards NGOs, a significant proportion of Irish Aid funding is delivered through our multi-annual partnership scheme, MAPS, with the main Irish NGOs. In 2007, almost €63 million was provided to five Irish NGOs under MAPS, and we plan to increase this to €70 million for 2008. Irish Aid has also consistently supported the work of Irish missionaries. Some €16 million was provided to the Irish Missionary Resource Service in 2007 which will increase to €20 million this year.

As far as future spending is concerned, the overseas development aid allocation will be decided through the Estimates process. Figures for expenditure on overseas development aid in the period 2009-12 cannot be stated at this point as they are linked to estimated GNP growth at the time of the Estimates process. However, I can assure Deputies that the Government is committed to meeting the target of 0.7% of GNP by 2012 in a planned and phased manner and that Ireland's overseas development aid allocation will grow strongly year on year as we move towards that target.

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I refer to aid going to countries. The Minister of State grouped four countries together. Two or three weeks ago, the Minister of State suspended any increase in aid to Mozambique. Why was that done?

What oversight exists at senior Government level? How often does the Minister of State meet the heads of NGOs, organisations such as Trócaire, GOAL and Concern? The Minister of State referred to some countries receiving more than €40 million. How often does he visit the senior officials and officials like himself in these countries? What kind of interaction does he have with the heads of NGOs and Heads of Government, considering the budget of €1 billion?

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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On the question of suspending funding to Mozambique——

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The increase in spending.

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy asked about Mozambique. There was an issue in Mozambique about Finland postponing part of the budget, some €2 million. The Irish Government has made no decision on that and awaits our investigations on it.

There is a positive side to the situation in Tanzania. Following a banking scandal the president sacked the Government and other staff. In a separate case, two Ministers were forced to resign on an issue of corruption. There are good news stories emerging.

I meet frequently with representatives of the five major NGOs, Trócaire, Concern, GOAL, Christian Aid and Self Help. I discuss funding because it is quite substantial, particularly to the five I mentioned. The figure for the NGO sector in 2006 was €169 million.

The Deputy's final question concerned where I travelled. I was in Mozambique last September and accompanied the Taoiseach to South Africa and Tanzania in January. We discussed issues of governance and independent media, which is much developed in Tanzania. We also saw the good projects in schools, hospitals, clinics and community centres with which Irish Aid is involved. We saw the provision of water supplies, such as wells and milling projects, that are so important to the lives of ordinary people.

Photo of Billy TimminsBilly Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Firing a few Cabinet Ministers in Tanzania may be viewed as positive in some quarters but to this side of the House it demonstrates a legitimate concern about Irish aid in programme countries. We are proposing to give €70 million in 2008 to Tanzania, which has had a difficulty with its Cabinet, and Zambia, where former president Chiluba is under investigation. Does the Minister of State have concerns that all the aid will not get there? Has the time come to have an open mind about the direct aid model, whereby we give money to a project and appoint an Irish project manager who will employ local people? Have we examined this rather than giving it to countries or has it been written out of the script? We have no direct evidence that Irish aid money is going astray but we must follow up on this over the next period of time. We are concerned that the sum of almost €1 billion this and next year might not get to where it should go.

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Obviously, we do not fund governments for their own sake. Rather, we are funding projects, particularly in the health, education and water sanitation areas. Missionaries have been present and doing good work for years as the first NGOs on the ground. I keep in constant touch with them and welcome that we are increasing funding to €20 million this year. I should mention the hard-working ambassadors who have some minimal funding to help the projects directly.

We hope the foreign affairs committee, perhaps in light of the letter from the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, will have oversight in respect of these issues. Previously, I chaired the sub-committee. It and the full committee will examine these issues. I know of Deputy Timmins's great interest in this area and we are aware of the matter in respect of which he has spoken, namely, the ongoing funding, which is increasing and will lead us to the 0.7% GNP target by 2012.

Photo of Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Malawi is the country in which we opened our most recent embassy under the Irish Aid project and to which we contribute a considerable amount of overseas development aid. In 2006, the Malawian president named a road after Robert Mugabe. My question is on the ethical framework of future Irish Aid spending. While its being untied aid is of great credit to us, should we put pressure on countries? For example, Malawi is a member of the Southern African Development Community, which we are trusting to monitor the election in Zimbabwe. My concern is whether the countries are sympathetic to Zimbabwe and whether there is a regional solution to such situations. The Zimbabwe situation is getting worse by the day. The whole of the European Union has entrusted itself to the SADC's hands. The example of Malawi proves there is a lack of impartiality under the headings in question. Will the Minister of State outline the issues he raised at the General Affairs and External Relations Council and any general Irish contribution made at the ministerial meeting yesterday?

Photo of Michael KittMichael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, raised the issues at the GAERC and exerted the necessary pressure. At my meeting, I dealt with economic partnership agreements, which arose at the European affairs committee. When I accompanied the Taoiseach to South Africa and Tanzania in January, we raised this issue with the President of South Africa.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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This concludes questions to——

Photo of Michael D HigginsMichael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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No, we have another few minutes.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am told——

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Three minutes.

Photo of Billy TimminsBilly Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Go on.

Photo of Charlie O'ConnorCharlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Chair is advised that two minutes remain. Does Deputy Higgins want to continue?

Photo of Michael D HigginsMichael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Yes, I would be delighted to hear the Minister respond.

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Does this mean we can all contribute?

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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It is just as well I had not run out the door.