Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his Department’s strategy in achieving the 0.7% GNP target for overseas development aid by 2015 as outlined in the Programme for Government 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8252/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The policy on international development, One World One Future, is a good strategy and, as the Minister of State, Deputy Joe Costello, stated at a meeting of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to discuss the Department's Estimates, builds on the 2006 White Paper on Irish Aid, rightly emphasising the importance of development co-operation as a central feature of our foreign policy and reputation abroad. One of the reasons we are committed as a country to a substantial overseas development aid, ODA, programme is we believe a stable, fair and equal global community is in our interests as a nation. In some ways, overseas aid is the price we pay for a global system in which small countries such as Ireland can thrive. I hope the Minister of State can assure us about his commitment to reaching the target set.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I can. The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme and its place at the heart of Irish foreign policy. This commitment was made clear in the programme for Government and underscored last year in our new policy on international development, One World One Future. The policy sets out our vision for a sustainable and just world in which people are empowered to overcome poverty and hunger and fully realise their rights and potential. It focuses particularly on the poorest countries and communities in sub-Saharan Africa and sets out three goals: reduced hunger and stronger resilience; sustainable development and inclusive economic growth; and better governance, human rights and accountability. It provides a clear framework for the prioritisation of activities and the allocation of resources across six priority areas for action deriving from these goals.

Despite the severe economic and budgetary situation we have faced, the Government has clearly demonstrated its determination since coming into office to maintain and stabilise the budget for Irish ODA to the maximum extent. We provided overall budgets for development assistance of €657 million, €629 million and €622 million for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. The Government has again managed to allocate almost €600 million in ODA in 2014. On current estimates, this should amount to 0.43% of GNP. Given all the circumstances, this represents a significant achievement, reflecting the commitment of the people to the fight to end extreme poverty and hunger. The Government remains committed to making further progress towards reaching the UN target for ODA of 0.7% of GNP. We will do so as soon as economic circumstances permit.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Like Deputy Seán Crowe, I welcome the recent announcement of the further allocation of funding for Syria and the adjoining region. I take the opportunity to emphasise again the need for assistance for the region, although I fully understand there are many competing demands. Am I correct in thinking the Minister of State said the percentage of GNP spent this year on overseas development aid will be 0.43%? I gather that last year the figure was 0.47%. Is the Minister of State saying the commitment given in the programme for Government will not be honoured?

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Deputy is correct, the projected figure for this year is 0.43%. The actual outturn last year was 0.46%, not 0.47%. There has been a 4% decrease this year and a slight percentage decrease each year. This has been in the context of the downturn in the economy, the bailout programme, the troika and the attempt to achieve national recovery. There was a commitment given in the programme for Government to try to reach the 0.7% target by 2015. The new policy document we have published states this target remains but that it will be reached when economic circumstances permit.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The measurement of our overseas development aid is dependent on national income. There are always competing demands, even in good times, for increased expenditure and we must manage expectations in other areas in which there is public expenditure. I appeal to the Minister of State in this regard. Is the percentage based on national income? I would prefer if the Minister of State were more positive and clear in his commitment to the achievement of the programme for Government target of 0.7% by 2015. I fully appreciate that there are always competing demands and that we can have strategies, but we need targets for actual expenditure, as well as the lofty aspirations to which we all commit.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Overseas development aid had been increasing quite rapidly before the crisis and the difficulties we experienced in 2008, at which stage there was a sharp decline, as the Deputy is aware, of almost one third in 2008 and 2009. What we have done during our three years in government has stabilised overseas development aid. There has been a slight percentage decrease each year in line with economic circumstances. Nevertheless, we have maintained it at a high level and are still well above the average in moving towards the 0.7% target. Certainly, we are keen, as we have stated in our policy document, to move towards improving the position. I emphasise that we have managed to maintain all projects and funding for non-governmental organisations and there has not been any serious undermining of any of the country programmes in place.