Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the measures he has taken to ensure that the Government meets the commitment it has made under the Millennium Development Goals to achieve a target of overseas development aid of 0.7% by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18770/07]

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the level of overseas aid which is projected for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18709/07]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 173 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. The 2007 Estimates allocations reflect this commitment. Secondly, aid spending is expected to reach 0.6% in 2010. The Government has provided a total allocation of almost €730 million in Vote 29, International Cooperation, for 2007. This represents an increase of €131 million on the 2006 level of funding. A further €85 million has been allocated to overseas development through other Government Departments, bringing the total allocation in 2007 to almost €815 million. This allocation is the highest in the history of the programme and, as mentioned, meets the Government's interim target of spending 0.5% of GNP on Overseas Development Assistance. Over the coming years we will continue progress towards our next milestone target of reaching 0.6% of GNP by 2010. These steps emphasise our commitment to the developing world and ensure that we will continue to be one of the most generous donors on a per capita basis, when compared to our EU partners and other OECD countries. They also demonstrate that Ireland is well on track to fulfilling our commitment to meet the UN target of 0.7% by 2012.