Over the past three decades, successive Governments have built upon the modest foundations laid in 1974 with the establishment of the Ireland Aid programme. From modest origins, the programme has grown substantially over the past three decades with increases in funding recorded in every year since 1992. The pace of growth has accelerated in more recent years. The allocation to Vote 39, the Vote for International Co-operation, administered by my Department, has increased from €51 million in 1992 to €177 million in 1998 and next year will reach €373 million. In 2003 we will spend more than three times as much on overseas aid as we did in 1998 or 13 times what we spent in 1992. The total allocation next year is likely to exceed €450 million when contributions from other Departments towards ODA are factored in.