Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 9: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the proposal advanced by a number of aid agencies that, for the purposes of Ireland's overseas development aid to Third World countries, Ireland should adopt a different and more efficient model involving concentrating the development aid to an individual country, thereby ensuring greater accountability, transparency and control; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21689/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland's aid programme, administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs through Irish Aid, has an international reputation for its quality and its effectiveness. As recently as the beginning of this month it has had that reputation validated once again by the OECD development assistance committee, which has commended the programme as "cutting edge" and indicated that "Ireland is a champion in making aid more effective".

Our aid programme has an overarching objective, which is the reduction of poverty in some of the poorest countries in the world. The programme concentrates on nine programme countries - seven in Africa and two in Asia. This focus on nine countries facilitates a balanced approach in terms of the requirement to reach a large number of poor people, the need to mitigate risk across a number of countries and the importance of bringing our influence to bear on the policies of a number of governments, thus maximising the effectiveness on the ground of our development co-operation programme.

Our approach also fosters local ownership of development co-operation and seeks to make governments more accountable to their people. Working on two continents and in a number of countries also facilitates lesson learning across our programmes. This balanced, cautious, sustainable and poverty-focused approach works well and has earned us our enviable reputation.

Most large agencies, NGOs and missionary groups work in a greater number of countries than Irish Aid. We respect this more diverse approach and Irish Aid is one of the largest donors in the world to NGOs and missionaries. We will continue to support their programmes and projects across the world and, in this difficult economic climate, work even harder with them to ensure that all our shared efforts are carried out and judged through the lens of a result-focused approach.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply but it does not really deal with the issue I am raising. Is there an opportunity to reconsider the manner in which we grant aid in this area in light of the Transparency International figures bandied about that up to $150 billion is lost to the Third World in corruption annually? At a time when there is a scarcity of money throughout the world and there will be less money than in the past, there may be some justification to reconsider adopting a country, under the UN flag, for five years. This would bring an in-depth knowledge of what the money is being used for. Perhaps countries can be rotated over different periods, with agreement from other nations who are in a similar position to us in granting aid. That is the point I was trying to get across so could it be considered?

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The question did not mention corruption and focused on the feasibility and appropriateness of adopting one country. The supplementary question referred to corruption, which is a very different, although important, issue. The question of whether we can deliver aid effectively by adopting a country is one I do not agree with. If it is brought to a logical conclusion, it would mean that every donor country should adopt a recipient country, although that use of language is slightly outmoded. The Deputy knows what I am getting at.

One would ultimately come back to a real position of neo-colonialism, where a country from the North would adopt a country from the South, with all the very unfortunate consequences attendant on that. I would not like to pick a country for Ireland to adopt but if we did, we would be the sole director of government policy in that country and turn it into a welfare recipient of the donor country. What would happen in a practical way if the relationship broke down and the donor had to withdraw from the recipient country? Where would that leave the recipient country?

Notwithstanding such issues, there would be unfortunate consequences in terms of our lesson learning ability across our programme countries. We gain significant experience in some countries, which we learn from and adopt in other countries in a very systematic way. Such action could lead to very unfortunate consequences and is not recognised as being best practice internationally.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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The Minister of State is correct in saying there has been a very positive evaluation of Ireland's aid programme. There was also a reference to improvements necessary in coherence between aid, trade, debt and so forth. It would be useful to hear if this will be given priority in the interdepartmental committee relevant to this matter.

With regard to the fundamental matter raised by Deputy Barrett, it is very important to recognise that the United Nations Convention against Corruption has yet to be ratified by Ireland, and only one country from the European Union has ratified it. One of the difficulties identified in Transparency International reports is that pressure is not mounted on both sides of the act of corruption, the donors in other words. I agree with the Minister of State that it would be wrong to narrow the Irish programme to one country. I would question as to whether such a proposal is the view of more than one development organisation.

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Deputy Higgins that it is not a widely held view, but is in fact a unique one, among the development community which does not stack up when analysed carefully.

A recipient country's ownership of its programme is another aspect. Modern accepted development standards suggest a government of a developing country should own its programme and, with the help of the donor countries, drive it through its systems. If there were only one donor in charge of directing that, albeit in partnership with a developing country government, it would not allow the recipient country to develop its own ability to manage its affairs because of its sole dependence on one country.

Aid-for-trade, agriculture and other issues which are not strictly development concerns are important. It is crucial that different Departments do not affect adversely our development efforts through a lack of coherence. I chair the interdepartmental committee on aid effectiveness and development which tries to ensure a coherent, whole of government approach to these issues, in so far as it is possible when recognising the different approaches of different Departments.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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We will move to Question No. 10.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Sorry, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle but I did not get a chance to come back to the Minister's reply.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Normally, one minute is given as a supplementary.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I did not get a minute.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Deputy did get a minute. I will, however, happily grant another.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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There are two ways of examining any problem, the positive way and the negative way. In this case, the attitude adopted is a negative one. Will the Minister of State consider the proposal advanced by several aid agencies?

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I have given my considered response to this.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The proposal is being put forward in a positive light and not as a smart alec approach to dealing with this issue. There are benefits of adopting a developing country for a certain period, say five years, and following through a development programme to the bitter end. Will the Minister of State adopt a positive attitude in examining this proposal?

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The proposal has been considered by international aid effectiveness bodies, not least the OECD. The common consensus is that this would not be an effective way of delivering aid. Only last month the OECD, which reviewed the Irish programme that concentrates on nine countries, said it is the most effective way of delivering aid. It is not that we are not open to other ideas. However, any analysis of this proposal suggests it is not the most effective way of doing business and leaves open the possibility of very unfortunate consequences if that relationship were to break down.