Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures in place to ensure that overseas development aid reaches the people for whom it is intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39517/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 208: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if development aid throughout the African continent is received by those for whom it was intended; if his attention has been drawn to specific incidents to the contrary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39819/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 208 together.

Programmes and projects supported by Irish Aid are subject to detailed planning and preparation to ensure they are designed to meet the needs of the poor. Poverty reduction is at the heart of the aid programme and this focus has been endorsed by the White Paper on Irish Aid, published in September. Irish Aid constantly monitors and evaluates the implementation and outcome of its interventions, either directly with development partners including governments, non-governmental organisations and civil society, or in co-operation with other donors and international organisations, so that its effectiveness can be measured against defined objectives and against the broad aim of contributing to sustainable poverty reduction. If there is evidence of misuse of funds, it is investigated thoroughly and appropriate remedial and preventive measures are put in place. Aid is delivered in some of the most difficult operating environments in the world, where the strength of systems and capacities of our partners, both governmental and civil society, are not well developed. The challenge for our programme is not only to reduce poverty but at the same time to build capacity across a range of institutions in developing countries. Good governance is a key objective of the programme, one of the main aims of which is to build effective systems of service delivery and to identify and remedy misuse of funds and weak administration.

The highest importance is attached to the Audit and Evaluation functions in the Irish Aid programme. Rigorous accounting and control systems are in place to protect Irish funding from misuse. Irish Aid organises audits through its Audit and Evaluation Unit and in conjunction with reputable international firms. Over the history of the programme, the attention and resources devoted to Audit and Evaluation has greatly increased. In 2003, an independent Audit Committee was established. Formal audit and evaluation systems have been designed and implemented including the overseas office audit policy, value for money study guidelines and the Audit Charter. Internal auditors are in place in 5 Programme Countries and additional auditors will be recruited as appropriate.

Ireland's overseas development assistance is effective. The development programme has been favourably reviewed by the OECD. Working in over ninety countries, and with a particular emphasis on Africa, Irish Aid is helping people to improve their own lives and is making a real difference on the ground. For instance, in Lesotho in 1999, enrolment in primary schools was at 57%. With Ireland's support, by 2003, this figure had increased to 82%. With Ireland's support, immunisation rates against childhood diseases in Uganda are now at 84% for the entire country. More generally, it is clear that development assistance is having a positive effect in Africa. In its Africa Development — Indicators 2006 Report, the World Bank notes that in contrast with the 1990s, conflicts in Africa have declined and economic performance has improved. It notes also that since the second half of the 1990s, many low income African countries including Mozambique and Uganda have lifted significant percentages of their citizens above the poverty line.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 111: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of aid moneys to be allocated to the countries of the Middle East for 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39480/06]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of humanitarian support that the Government has given to the Iraqi people over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39726/06]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 201 together.

This year Irish Aid has delivered significant development and humanitarian funding in the Middle East. The bulk of Ireland's assistance this year — over €8.5 million — has been allocated to Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. Depending on the emergency and development needs of the region, I expect that our assistance would remain at a similar level in 2007.

Palestine remains our key partner in the region. Ireland has been providing development and humanitarian assistance in support of the Palestinian people since 1993. In 2006, we allocated €6.4 million to meet the humanitarian and development needs of the Palestinian people. Ireland's core objective in providing assistance to Palestine is to alleviate the consequences of the conflict by enhancing the capacity of Ireland's partners in Palestine to respond to the current crisis and, where possible, to begin to meet future development needs. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs remain key partners for Ireland in the provision of basic, emergency assistance to the Palestinian people. Ireland has provided €3 million in assistance to UNRWA this year. This core funding facilitates UNRWA in responding with flexibility to Palestinian needs in the West Bank, Gaza and also in the region, including refugees in Jordan, Syria and the Lebanon. In 2007, Irish Aid is set to continue to provide a similar level of assistance to the Palestinian people and our focus will continue to be on the three sectors of education; rural development and support for civil society. Our funding of these sectors will be complemented by our continuing commitment to the funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Ireland responded swiftly to the crisis in Lebanon earlier this year. On 31 August, at the Stockholm Donor Conference, I pledged a further €2 million for recovery and longer-term reconstruction and assistance in Lebanon and Palestine, which will be fully committed by the end of 2007. Since 2003, Irish Aid has made funds of €7.4 million available for humanitarian interventions in Iraq. Irish Aid supported activities currently include mines clearance work by the Mines Advisory Group and health care programmes for the Marsh Arab population run by the Amar Foundation. Ireland will continue to respond to the emergency situation in Iraq in 2007 as needs emerge.