Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I move:

That Dáil Éireann shall consider the Report of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence, entitled ‘Review of the Irish Aid Programme’, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 21st February, 2018.”

It is my honour to introduce this report in the Chamber today. I acknowledge our guests in the Visitors Gallery. They include representatives from a number of development NGOs and the umbrella organisation, Dóchas. They are all very welcome. They are consistent visitors to the House and our committee.

This report is the culmination of several months of constructive engagement and debate within the committee on the Irish Aid programme. During those months the committee met a wide range of stakeholders, including the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, and senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; representatives from the NGO sector; members of academia; the ambassadors of Ethiopia and Kenya in Ireland; and Mr. David Donoghue, Ireland’s former permanent representative to the United Nations in New York and co-facilitator of the process to negotiate the Sustainable Development Goals.

Members of the committee also visited Malawi and Mozambique to see at first hand the implementation of the Irish Aid programme and to meet partners and stakeholders at government, civil society, community and individual level.

In addition to the seven public sessions we held on this subject, the committee received over 30 written submissions from stakeholders. The level of interest in and engagement on this important topic was greatly appreciated and I acknowledge and thank all those who engaged so constructively. It is clear such interest reflects the importance so many stakeholders place on ensuring Ireland has the strongest and most effective aid programme possible.

It has been several years since Ireland’s official development assistance, ODA, programme was last discussed and debated in this Chamber and this debate is timely. It is important to emphasise at the outset of this debate that the committee strongly supports the Irish Aid programme. Throughout our meetings we heard an overwhelmingly positive assessment of the Irish Aid programme and the delivery of overseas assistance by our NGOs. The high quality of the programme and its strong focus on poverty reduction was emphasised time and again. Ireland has a good story to tell.

Huge advances have been made as a result of ODA, including Ireland’s aid programme, as well as through the development assistance programmes of the European Union, to which Ireland contributes. We must send out the clear message that aid works.

As a result of aid over than 1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty; the under-five child mortality rate has almost halved; devastating diseases such as smallpox and tuberculosis have been controlled; there has been huge progress in fighting HIV and AIDS, and malaria; and 2.6 billion people have gained access to improved water sources. Education subsidies, social cash transfers and schemes addressing water provision and quality have all had far-reaching positive impacts on the lives of people most in need.

We in Ireland can and should take considerable pride in the role our aid programme has played in contributing to these long-term results. I had the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the effectiveness of the aid programme during the committee’s visit to Malawi and northern Mozambique last November. The visit highlighted the life-changing impact Irish taxpayers’ money is having on some of the poorest people in the world. It demonstrated to me that results are being achieved through the implementation of a broad range of programmes, working hand in hand in a spirit of partnership with local communities and authorities. The visit also highlighted to me the extent of need that continues to exist and the obligation we all have at national, European and international level to respond to that need.

The scale of need that exists today is more significant than ever with 140 million people in need of humanitarian assistance; 65 million people - over ten times the population of this country - displaced by war and conflict; over 3 million children under five dying each year due to preventable and treatable diseases; over 260 million children not receiving an education; and rapid population growth with the population on the African continent expected to double to 2.5 billion people by 2050.

In Syria alone, the latest figures by UNHCR show there are over 13 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, over 6 million internally displaced from their homes and now 5.6 million refugees forced to flee, 2.6 million of whom are children. A quarter of all Syrians are refugees. The official death toll is unknown but is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. These shocking figures are an important reminder of the current context in which Ireland’s aid programme must be effectively implemented. Behind each figure are countless individuals in need of assistance.

I understand the Tánaiste is planning to produce a new White Paper on the Irish Aid programme in the coming months. The committee welcomes that commitment and we trust that the views raised in our report and during today’s debate will be carefully considered and taken into account.

As a Member of this House, along with my committee colleagues and other Members present, who all represent constituencies with a great many needs, I do not shy away from acknowledging the competing demands on taxpayers’ money. Our domestic challenges must be addressed urgently. However, we cannot and must not neglect our moral responsibility to play our part, as a developed nation, in addressing the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people and communities around the world.

The committee fully supports continued increases in the aid budget to meet that need in a targeted, effective way, maintaining the high standards and quality in the aid programme Ireland has been internationally recognised for. Doing so is not just the right thing to do, it is also in our national interest.

We are living in a deeply interconnected world. Playing our part in lifting people out of extreme poverty and deprivation, addressing the root causes of conflict and instability, will lead to greater peace and security for all. The challenge for the Government now is to identify how to protect and build upon the high quality of the aid programme, at a time when global challenges are intensifying in areas such as climate change, rising inequalities and population growth, growing migration flows throughout the world, politically isolationist trends in the west, and not least humanitarian crises.

This report contains 22 recommendations, and I will focus on three areas. The first is the sustainable development goals and the need for a more coherent approach to development assistance. The second is the need to build greater awareness of official development assistance among the public. The third is the need to demonstrate a concerted move towards realising Ireland’s long-standing commitment of spending 0.7% of gross national income on official development assistance.

Ireland can take considerable pride in the sustainable development goals, brokered in 2015 by our former permanent representative to the United Nations, David Donoghue. The 17 goals each have specific targets to be achieved by 2030. The goals are a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity. They apply to all countries throughout the world. We are proud that those goals were brokered by Ireland but now we must focus on implementation and ensure that we continue to be at the forefront at both national and international levels. This must be a whole-of-Government endeavour.

As I have just outlined, development assistance has yielded many significant results, but aid alone is not enough. That much is clear when we look at the current global crises I have already referred to. Ireland’s policies across a wide range of areas can potentially have an effect on developing countries and can consequently make our aid less impactful. This is an issue in the area of trade, environment and climate, agriculture, education, immigration and tax policy, among others. The sustainable development goals recognise this need for coherence across all policies.

Earlier this week our President made a historic address to the United Nations General Assembly focusing on peace-building. In his speech he reminded UN member states of the necessity of a coherent approach if we are to accomplish the goals set out in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Coherence is essential if we are to achieve meaningful impact. The OECD also noted in 2014 that Ireland needed to address such issues and develop a more coherent approach to development across Government. Regrettably, that has not happened.

In this report the committee calls on the Government to develop a clear cross-Government plan of action on international development policy as well as to establish a cross-departmental body to ensure better co-ordination and coherence. This could be a subgroup of the existing cross-departmental co-ordination mechanisms on the sustainable development goals. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s views on this matter. This afternoon, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, is launching Ireland’s national implementation plan for the sustainable development goals, and I look forward to reading the plan. The committee will continue to closely scrutinise the progress being made in achieving the sustainable development goals, particularly through the work of Irish Aid. The new White Paper will be an opportunity to ensure that the Irish Aid programme is clearly framed in the context of the sustainable development goals.

A strong case for the importance of strengthening our aid programme also needs to be made to the Irish public. This report contains important recommendations on scaling up resources and commitments to the education and youth sectors, supporting the essential work they carry out in providing development education. It is so important that the taxpayers of the future have awareness, understanding and ownership of the Irish Aid programme. The Government must also communicate better the results of the Irish Aid programme to all citizens more generally. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is that taxpayers are aware of how their money is being spent and, moreover, why it is being spent in the way that it is being spent. This is not just the Government’s aid programme; it belongs to the Irish people and their understanding of it is vital.

On reaching our now very long-standing commitment to achieving ODA expenditure of 0.7% of gross national income, the committee is unanimously of the view that in order for Ireland to continue to deliver and strengthen a quality aid programme, we must reach that target. The committee calls for a multi-annual plan to increase the aid budget on an incremental, phased basis and proposes that the Government submits such a clear, multi-annual plan to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight for consideration.

The Minister has spoken many times since taking on his current role of his commitment to working towards the 0.7% target. As we debate this matter today, and as Members of this House engage with him on this hugely important subject, I ask him to clearly outline his vision. The aid programme has strong political support. The Minister has the support of those of all parties and none represented on the committee, and I have no doubt many more Members of this House support the Irish Aid programme and the need to move steadily towards 0.7%.

The aid programme also has strong public support. The Irish people are known for their empathy and generosity. I was heartened by the results of a poll last year which showed that 80% of those surveyed believe we should increase our support for efforts to eradicate poverty. Now what remains is for the Government to take forward the commitments it has made and ensure they are delivered. In the words of Seamus Heaney, "Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what’s said and what’s done." This House will take the measure of what is said and what is done in regard to the Irish Aid programme and moving towards that important 0.7% target.

I would be grateful if the Minister would address two specific matters. What is the timeframe for the publication of the new White Paper? Second, will he give a clear commitment to developing a pathway to 0.7%? I thank him and I look forward to hearing his and Members' contributions in regard to this important report.

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade and Defence for undertaking this timely review of Ireland’s development co-operation. I am pleased that Oireachtas Members have borne witness to the great work which the Irish Aid programme does in tackling poverty and in responding to humanitarian crises and natural disasters. As a people, we can be proud of the work which is done in challenging places to improve the lives of those less fortunate than us, and which helps build a more just and peaceful world, which is needed now more than ever.

Ours is an interconnected world. Global climate events, such as the hurricanes in the Caribbean or drought in east Africa, and our own recent stark weather episodes, tell us that we need to act in common with others to address the challenges of our generation. The Ebola crisis of 2014-2015 was a reminder of the need for functioning public health systems in our neighbouring continent. Ireland was able to respond, quickly and effectively, and make a significant contribution to stemming the flow of the disease. That was important for the people of Sierra Leone and the other affected countries. It was also important for the people of Ireland. A safer, more peaceful, sustainable and equal world is in Ireland’s fundamental interest as a small country with an open economy in an ever more challenging and uncertain world.

The sense of sharing the planet informed the negotiation of the sustainable development goals, SDGs, also known as Agenda 2030. Adopted by the United Nations in 2015, following a process in which Ireland played a significant role in helping broker agreement, the SDGs set an ambitious set of targets. All countries, including Ireland, are expected to respond to the challenge domestically, but also in our foreign policy.

The joint committee has rightly situated its review of the Irish Aid programme in the context of the sustainable development goals. These 17 goals set a framework for the work of Irish Aid for the coming decade and beyond. This ambition speaks to our whole-of-Government approach to international development, which draws on the roles and strengths of all Government Departments.

The world has changed over the past decade and a new approach and fresh thinking are needed for the way forward. That is why I announced in October last year that the Government will produce a new White Paper on international development this year. This paper will build on our existing development co-operation programme and further strengthen its alignment to the SDGs. The White Paper will also inform an ambitious pathway towards making greater but sustainable progress on the UN target of providing 0.7% of GNI to official development assistance. It will take time but I am absolutely committed to outlining a way to get there.

Reaching the 0.7% target will involve significant increases to the ODA budget and requires careful planning and consultation with other Departments and stakeholders.

The joint committee report underscored that a firm commitment to achieving this target is critical to the future of overseas development. I appeal to the Deputy and to others in this House to support me politically in our efforts to do that. Without all-party support or close to it, this will be a difficult political target to achieve. It is going to involve a multi-annual commitment that will involve multiple Governments.

I am acutely aware of pressures and challenges at home in Ireland and that competition for budgetary resources is real. However, we must not forget that Ireland’s aid programme is not just good policy because we know aid works, but is also a reflection of our values, our belief in our common humanity and solidarity, and our understanding that wealth and opportunity are not spread equally across the world. We in Ireland have benefited from assistance and investment in the past, and we too have a responsibility to give poor and marginalised people in other countries a better future. Furthermore, an effective development co-operation programme is an important foreign policy tool in its own right, informing our wider diplomacy and helping Ireland influence others to adopt policy positions which reflect the values we represent and objectives we hold dear. It must be accompanied too by political dialogue between Europe and Africa that is fit for purpose, reflecting the huge shared challenges we face together in areas like migration, climate change and the eradication of poverty, as well as food and water security, regional conflict and so much else.

In its review conclusions, the joint committee highlighted the positive reputation of the Irish Aid programme. Its high quality was a recurring theme in discussions with stakeholders. I am delighted that some committee members had an opportunity to visit two of the countries in Africa in which we work, where they were able to witness first-hand the results of Ireland’s aid programme. These visits fed into the review’s endorsement of that positive reputation and its view, which I share, that our continued focus should be on quality, untied aid which addresses the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people and communities, wherever they may be. Despite tremendous progress in reducing poverty around the world in recent decades, with over 100,000 people a day moving from extreme poverty, there remains a need for effective development co-operation and for modernisation in terms of our approach. Too many still live in poverty. Countries such as Ethiopia, which I visited a number of months ago, have to create as many new jobs each year as there are people at work in Ireland; such is the demographic movement to which Ethiopia must respond in terms of the number of young people coming into the workforce.

Part of the strength of Ireland’s programme is that it is deeply rooted in our own experiences and values. Hunger and undernutrition have long been a major priority for Irish development co-operation and Ireland has gained international recognition for its work in this area. On a visit to Kenya in November I saw how, by sharing Ireland’s experience of good seed technology, good science and good farming, local potato crop yields have the potential to increase dramatically.

Much of Ireland’s own success can be attributed to our well-educated workforce, and we have traditionally played a strong, respected role in education in many parts of Africa. In Uganda, Irish Aid has focused on the poverty-stricken Karamoja district, and has provided bursaries for 1,000 secondary school students and 40 university students from the poorest families, to enable them to continue their education. In Sierra Leone, Ireland has advocated for the rights of pregnant girls who were excluded from attending school, and supported them to continue their education. With our support, social protection has expanded to cover nearly 450,000 households in Mozambique, a country whose vast rural population still feels the effects and devastation of war, and provided social benefit to 150,000 senior citizens in Uganda. Tiny amounts of money - mere cents monthly - mean that children can stay in school, or older people have some dignity.

The joint committee in its review report takes note of the escalation in conflict-driven humanitarian crises. Ireland has responded worldwide through our humanitarian work, peacekeeping and disarmament, as well as sharing lessons from our own peace process. We are reminded daily of the tremendous suffering in Syria, and in response Ireland has provided over €93 million since 2012 to alleviate suffering in Syria, primarily focusing on supporting refugees. However, other crises continue, equally appalling in terms of human suffering but often forgotten. I refer to places like Sudan, Yemen, DRC and the Central African Republic. Ireland’s support is vital here too. We stand fully behind the UN Secretary General’s vision to place conflict prevention and sustaining peace at the heart of the UN’s mandate. The motivation and rationale is sound. It is easier and more effective, if not always as visible, to prevent rather than react to crises. Where intervention is necessary, political advocacy in working to resolve conflicts should prevail in the first instance.

Responding to catastrophes is complex and requires us to work in partnership with organisations that have a presence on the ground. Funding is channelled through multinational actors such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN central emergency response fund. This allows Ireland to pool its response with others for maximum impact. Ireland also works with NGOs, both Irish and international. We are very proud of their record and reputation too. Civil society organisations play an important role in development. Ireland is home to many excellent organisations whose experiences enrich our analysis and with which we partner in a number of countries and contexts. Our missionaries also play their part in this and we value and applaud their contribution over many decades.

As the joint committee has recognised, it is important too that we inform the Irish public about the programme. After all, it is their money that we are spending. As part of the process to develop a new White Paper on international development we will shortly be launching a public consultation process on the White Paper, involving both public meetings and online opportunities to input, and we look forward to a high level of public engagement.

The review report of the joint committee highlights the global challenges we face. As we look to set the priorities for our future development funding so that it is ready for the 2020s, this report helps set the scene for the next generation of policy priorities.

After hearing the speech of the Chairman of the committee, I am glad to say that I think we share a lot of similar values and priorities in this area and I look forward to working with the committee and with others in this House in the context of getting that consultation process right and hopefully also in the context of getting the budgetary commitments we are going to need to start moving our aid contribution in the right direction.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that we are adjourning at 5 p.m. I commend the Chairman of the committee, of which I was delighted to be a member until recently. I commend Noel Murphy and MaryLee Wall in the secretariat, who worked so hard to put this report together. I recognise the attendance of many of our NGOs and development agencies, which do a fantastic job.

I have a couple of questions which the Tánaiste is not going to be able to answer now as we are restricted time-wise. I agree with our Chairman, who has outlined that the report looked for a roadmap. I have said it time and time again, as has the Tánaiste. I am glad to hear in his response today about a commitment to reaching 0.7%. That is not going to be easy and will require some political bravery. The Tánaiste has got to publish a timeline so that we know we are not saying 0.7% by 2030 any more. Let us look at those figures. We have been shown that roadmap before. Let us have the discussion openly and put it up to all political parties and groupings to sign up to it. The Chairman outlined this in great detail in his speech today. The Tánaiste will find a willingness there. I know the public is ahead of us on this. Back in 2008 we had reached a height of 0.59% and we are now down at about 0.3%. The work that has been done with the money that the Irish people are giving through Irish Aid and our NGOs is magnificent and we know it. Let us publish a dateline.

The Tánaiste referred to the White Paper and mentioned that it will be published and that he will have a public consultation on it. I said this to the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, when the committee launched the report.

We should not reinvent the wheel, but rather work on the basis of the report of the committee, which should feed into the recommendations of the White Paper. When will the White Paper be published? Are we going to wait until the White Paper consultation concludes before we publish a timeline for reaching point seven? I believe we could do that sooner. We should have an open discussion on the issue.