Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the timescale for meeting the UN target on overseas development aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19545/06]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of funding allocated to Irish Aid for 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19544/06]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether Ireland will reach the target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for international aid within the specified time-table outlined by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19745/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 156 and 161 together.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, announced at the UN Millennium Review Summit in New York on 14 September 2005 that the Government will reach the target of spending 0.7% of GNP on Official Development Assistance by 2012.

We have agreed a number of steps along the way to achieving the target. Firstly, we have an interim target of 0.5% of GNP in 2007. Secondly, aid spending is expected to reach 0.6% in 2010. In fact, Ireland is likely to reach the interim 0.5% target earlier than expected. The allocation by the Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, in the Estimates for the Vote for International Cooperation (Vote 29) in 2006 amounts to €600 million. Coupled with amounts paid by other Government Departments and with a special contribution of €59million to the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative of the International Development Association, total ODA this year will amount to approximately €734 million. On current estimates of GNP growth, our total ODA this year is therefore likely to reach 0.5%.

These figures clearly demonstrate the Government's commitment to overseas development and to achieving the UN target in 2012.