Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to come here in the next session for a debate on funding for the International Development Association, IDA. The association is funded, in the main, by the World Bank and participating countries. The IDA carries out great work in poorer countries throughout the world. It has proved to be an exceptional tool in supporting the achievements of the millennium development goals or tackling the toughest global challenges.

For instance, from 2011 to 2015, IDA support provided 50 million people with access to better water services, immunised 205 million children and provided 413 million people with essential health services. Ireland contributes to this work. It is important that we, as parliamentarians, scrutinise projects and the great work that is being carried out. In the next session it is important that we have the Minister in here to outline to us where our funding goes, the projects that are being carried out and the great work that is being done, to see if we can get better value for our buck and whether there are priorities that we might like to see achieved.