Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House once again and second the motion. I acknowledge the international endorsement of the Government's overseas aid programme. I was delighted to attend the launch of the Development Assistance Committee's review of Ireland's overseas aid. The DAC carries out reviews of the programmes every four to five years. It acknowledged Ireland's contribution and that it is increasing its aid to the least developed countries. There are many positives highlighted that show the value of our programmes for families across the globe, especially in the African countries we have partnered. Irish Aid programmes are highly regarded and it is vital we continue to build on them despite our current economic challenges.

Recent reductions in the programme are regrettable. Once the global recovery begins and there is an improvement in Ireland, we should review our commitment as a priority. It was disappointing we had to reduce it this year but our heart is in the right place. The Taoiseach and his predecessor have taken a personal interest in the programme and are determined that Ireland will reach its international commitments at the earliest possible date.

Ireland is a generous donor, ranking sixth out of the 22 DAC members in terms of percentage of gross national income, GNI, and ranked 17th in terms of its volume of overseas development aid. The Government is committed to meeting its target of 0.7% of GNI by 2012. It has adopted a phased approach and plans to meet the interim target of 0.6% in 2010. It is a challenge to reach these targets and to ensure our money is being used in the best possible way.

The concentration of our efforts in the poorest African countries is a strength of the programme. Of our bilateral aid, 80% is targeted to sub-Saharan Africa where communities face some of the most difficult challenges on the planet. The challenge for us now is to ensure our programmes remain effective and have a positive impact.

A number of important measures have been undertaken to ensure we are effective. Last September the Taoiseach and the United Nations Secretary General launched the hunger task force, a world first. It is a blueprint not just for Ireland but for the globe. The establishment of a stability fund for post-crisis situations and the rapid response initiative ensure Ireland is well positioned to respond quickly to disasters as they occur. I welcome the placing of essential supplies in hubs in Italy and Ghana in particular, allowing for rapid distribution.

Ireland's commitment to fair trade has caught the imagination of communities throughout the country that have worked to have themselves declared fair trade villages, towns and cities. While the Irish Aid volunteer centre on O'Connell Street is an invaluable service to those who want to make their own contribution to aid efforts, I encourage teachers to bring their students to the centre to learn more about their programmes. There are also opportunities for work experience programmes.

There is much for us to be proud of in our record in overseas aid but we must remain open to suggestions as to how we can improve our effectiveness. The recent review welcomed our commitment to aid but raised questions about our ability to analyse the results of our efforts and their effectiveness to let us see how we can communicate the most effective programmes to the world. There is a gap at that level which I spotted while visiting Malawi. While our aid has been reduced, it is not about money but about how we implement programmes and how effective they are. There is waste and because we must tighten our belts, we should analyse the impact of the programmes to ensure those who need them will not be deprived.

There must be an interdepartmental approach. There are issues surrounding education, HIV-AIDS, agriculture, trade and the environment. These areas must be looked at and we must have political backing. While Irish Aid has moved to Limerick, there must be no change in policy, with an interdepartmental approach so no Department can say it is not going down that road.