Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 195: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a new target date has been set by which Ireland's contribution to overseas aid will reach the 0.7% of GDP target; if his Department has set out a programme of interim annual increases to achieve this target within a specific timeframe; if he will consider the enactment of legislation in the current Dáil session to underpin Ireland's commitment to the 0.7% target in view of the Government's decision not to allocate 0.7% of GDP to overseas aid by 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11362/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The allocation for 2005 provides for an increase of €70 million in Government spending on official development assistance this year. This will bring total Government aid to the developing world to approximately €545 million in 2005, the highest allocation in the 30-year history of the aid programme. In addition, the Government has agreed to provide further increases of €65 million in each of the years 2006 and 2007.

These substantial increases mean that over the three years from 2005 to 2007, €1.8 billion will be spent by Ireland on development assistance. As a result, Ireland will maintain its position as one of the world's leading aid donors on a per capita basis. This three-year multi-annual commitment, incorporating substantial annual increases, gives the Department a sound basis to carry forward the long-term planning which is so important for development work.

The Government remains strongly committed to achieving the UN target for expenditure on ODA. The issue of how best to meet the target, and in what timeframe, is under ongoing review. In this regard, and as I have stated previously, it is not intended that the commitment should be enshrined in legislation. The Department has recently launched a consultative process that will lead to a White Paper on development assistance and we look forward to receiving views from all interested groups and members of the public, including on the aid target dimension.