Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the projected financial resources to be allocated to Irish Aid in 2007; the amount of this funding that will be directed towards meeting costs arising from the training of replacement personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3931/07]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 22: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the difference in fund allocation for Irish Aid in 2007 as compared with that of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3933/07]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 22 together.

The Government has provided a total allocation of €728 million under Vote 29, the Vote for International Cooperation, for 2007. When contributions from other Government Departments are taken into account, the total allocation to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) will be €813 million. This allocation, the highest in the history of the aid programme, will meet the Government's interim target of spending 0.5% of GNP on ODA in 2007.

In 2006, the amount allocated to Vote 29 was €601 million. When the contributions from other Government Departments are taken into account, total funding provided for ODA in 2006 amounted to €734 million.

The net increase in ODA from 2006 to 2007 is €79 million.

The costs associated with training of replacement staff in Irish Aid will be met from the Department's Administration Budget. This Department is committed, as are all Government Departments, to devote up to 4% of payroll to training and development of staff. The funding for training staff will come from this source.