Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 11: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will comment on the 2007 Estimates for his Department. [39578/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The 2007 Estimates for my Department include a total provision of €208.8 million for Vote 28 and €728.7 million for Vote 29 dealing with development assistance.

The Vote 29 Estimate represents a further substantial increase in our assistance to developing countries, from just over €600m this year to €728m in 2007. In addition, the Estimates provide €85 million for development aid through other Government Departments, bringing Ireland's Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2007 to €813m. This increased allocation amounts to 0.5% of Ireland's GNP, fully meeting the Government's interim target for 2007.

In terms of our size, Ireland continues to be one of the most generous donors in the world. The 2007 Estimates demonstrate the commitment of the Government to meet, by 2012, the UN target of providing 0.7% of GNP in development aid. The increase in aid from this year to next will amount to €130 million, which was the total amount of development aid Ireland provided ten years ago. Increased funds for Irish Aid will allow us to expand key areas of our programme, including Ireland's response to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies in developing countries.

I am delighted that Vote 28 includes an allocation of €15.2 million for services to our emigrants abroad. This represents a 25% increase in funding compared to this year and a fifteen-fold increase in such provision since 1997. These figures clearly reflect the Government's strong commitment to the welfare of the Irish abroad.

Ireland's contributions to international organisations will increase from almost €26.4m this year to €31.9m next year. This is in keeping with the Government's continuing commitment to the role and work of the United Nations. I am also pleased that funds for North-South and Anglo-Irish cooperation projects, supported by the Department's Reconciliation Fund, will amount to €3m in 2007.

Under the capital allocations, the Estimates provide €20m for the Department's programme of purchasing premises for its Missions abroad and refurbishing Embassy buildings owned by the State. The Department favours a decision to buy rather than rent property abroad where this is supported by a sound business case.