Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on his pledge to the UN Summit that Ireland will contribute 0.7% of GNP to development aid by 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27161/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach announced at the UN Millennium Summit review in New York on 14 September that the Government will reach the target of spending 0.7% of GNP on official development assistance, ODA, by 2012.

This is three years earlier than the agreed EU target date of 2015. It places Ireland in the front rank of donors worldwide, in terms of both the quality and the volume of assistance we provide to the world's poorest countries. I am pleased that this decision has received a broad welcome from the development community. It is worth noting that the 2012 timeframe was my stated and public preference some months ago, when I initiated the public consultations on the White Paper on development.

The increases involved are very significant. On the basis of current anticipated growth rates, spending on ODA would be of the order of €1.5 billion in 2012. From 2005 to 2012, we will spend as much as €8 billion on overseas aid.

We have agreed a number of steps along the way to reaching the target. First, we have an interim target of 0.5% of GNP in 2007. The aid budget will reach €773 million in that year. Second, aid spending is expected to reach 0.6% of GNP in 2010. We have a clear pathway to achieving the UN target in 2012. The commitment of this Government to overseas development cannot be doubted.

Spending on overseas aid this year, at €545 million, is the highest level in the history of the programme. Ireland's aid budget has tripled since this Government came into office. With this announcement, it will triple again by 2012. In addition to the increased resources, we have ensured that the programme is of the highest quality. The high quality of Ireland's aid programme is recognised by both NGOs and donors. The most recent peer review of the programme by the OECD said that Ireland is "at the cutting edge of international development policy". I am determined that these high standards will be maintained as the programme continues to expand.