Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is my first opportunity to address him since he was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I commend him on all the work that he has done and on all the great announcements to provide help to those less fortunate in the world.

Given how integral the year 2015 will be for international development, I welcome today's debate as do all of my colleagues here. In the coming months, the Millennium Development Goals will be replaced by the sustainable development goals. They will be universally applicable and will cover a range of issues, including climate change, gender equality and human rights.

It is a sad fact that in many parts of the world people continue to suffer due to a lack of basic infrastructure, shelter and economic and social stability. As long as this situation endures it is the responsibility of every other first world nation, who can do so, to provide the funding and support so necessary for development.

Ireland's commitment to overseas development is long-standing and the Irish people are renowned for their generosity, a fact that we, as a nation, should be immensely proud. This awareness has often been laid at the feet of Ireland's history which was shaped so profoundly by the Famine. This point was reflected in a 2014 Eurobarometer survey which found that 68% of the Irish people spoken to, from a sample size of 1,037, thought that developed countries like ours should allocate more money to overseas aid.

This figure is up 12 percentage points on the same survey conducted last year, which suggests that while we as a nation slowly begin to recover and return to economic growth, we are also aware of our duty to those much less fortunate than ourselves. This says something truly wonderful about the Irish spirit. During austerity, Ireland's overseas aid budget fell, which is regrettable but unsurprising, given the colossal financial burden the country faced. However, while accepting this drop in funding, it is important to put Ireland's performance into context. Despite the hardship we faced and despite not meeting the 0.7% UN development target in 2012, according to the OECD, we did better than many European countries in protecting our aid budget during the financial crisis. No country will beat us up over not meeting that target because it was a substantial achievement to be able to continue with the level of funding that existed for aid to Third World countries.

An OECD review into Ireland's aid spending released in December 2014 stated that the country had punched above its weight on global development issues and had a talent for building networks and alliances to support development. While the OECD report highlights the ground lost which we must strive to make up, it also shows that Ireland's commitment to overseas development remains as firm as ever.

Ireland's track record on development aid speaks to the nation's awareness of its role and responsibilities as part of a global community based on the shared values of humanity. The OECD report describes how Ireland is considered by its international partners as a trusted colleague. It also notes how our overseas development aid is disseminated through structured targeting which ensures that these precious funds do not fall into corrupt hands and that they go directly to the people who so desperately need them.

As part of an Oireachtas delegation some years ago, I went to Ethiopia. I saw at first hand the significant work that is being done by Irish Aid and the then ambassador in Ethiopia, Ms Sheila Maguire, and the way the funds trickled down to the projects that needed it so badly. There are a number of projects that stand out in my mind - the GOAL street children's project and women in self-employment, WISE, both of which are based in Addis Ababa. It is having a major effect. The Irish NGOs and charities involved in the sector are doing excellent work and deserve to be commended. I take the opportunity to highlight their efforts today and to offer my fullest support.

The Government has allocated over €600 million for overseas development aid in 2015. In November last, the Department committed more than €4 million in funding in response to the Ebola outbreak in west Africa. Recently, the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, announced an additional €3 million in funding for vaccines for children dying from preventable diseases, raising the Irish Aid overseas development budget by 20% on last year's spending. This is a fantastic achievement and a welcome development. We have yet to return to the level of contribution to overseas development aid that existed before the financial collapse, but we are on track. We must acknowledge that it is heading in the right direction. I would certainly echo the calls of Erik Solheim from the OECD for the Government to look at how it might match the figure in future. In light of the creation of the new sustainable development goals which will be set later this year, I urge the Government to strive to meet the targets as soon as finances allow us to.

I take the opportunity, as I did at the outset, to commend the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, on their tireless work on this issue. What they have achieved is remarkable.

I already commended a number of people who have been working in NGOs throughout Africa. In particular, one man, Alan Kerins, who was actually in school with me, and his project stand out in my mind. Indeed, so does Ronan Scully of Self Help Africa. Recently, I and the Minister of State attended an event in that regard. They need to be commended on the work they have carried out in Africa making life better for those who are struggling there.

As Seanad spokesperson for the Labour Party on Foreign Affairs and Trade, I am certainly proud of Ireland's commitment to overseas development, but I also realise that there remains more to be done. As mentioned, 2015 will be a pivotal year for international aid within the global community. Countries must come together to formulate new strategies and targets.

I am proud to say that Ireland is playing a central role, through the Minister of State, in the process to agree the sustainable development goals following our appointment, by the President of the United Nations General Assembly, as co-facilitator with Kenya of the intergovernmental negotiations. The appointment is testament to the strong reputation of our aid programme and Ireland's long-standing tradition of promoting human rights and participating in peacekeeping missions.

Given Ireland's past, we as a nation remain acutely aware of our responsibilities, and I sincerely hope we can reach the targets outlined by the OECD and the global community. We should be proud of our standing in the international community and just as proud of the incredible work done by our aid organisations, such as that of Mr. Kerins, Mr. Scully with Self Help Africa, and GOAL. It is my expectation that our overseas development aid programmes will continue to grow and to save and change lives around the world.