Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 578: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way overseas development aid is distributed and allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1903/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 579: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the budget provision for overseas development aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1910/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 578 and 579 together.

Most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Cooperation. The programme is administered by the Development Cooperation Directorate of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. The Government has provided a total allocation of €814 million to Vote 29 for 2008. This represents an increase of €84 million on the 2007 level.

A further estimated €100 million will be spent by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU Development Cooperation Budget. This will bring Ireland's total ODA contribution in 2008 to €914 million.

Expenditure in 2008 will be the highest in the history of the programme representing 0.54 % of GNP. This level of spending will ensure that Ireland remains one of the most generous donors on a per capita basis. We are well on track to meeting the UN target of 0.7% by 2012, three years ahead of the EU commitment.

Ireland's Overseas Development Assistance comprises of both multilateral and bilateral contributions. Multilateral ODA consists of contributions channelled through multilateral and international organisations who conduct their activities in favour of development. Bilateral ODA consists of contributions made directly by Ireland to developing countries, including contributions made through NGOs, missionary organisations and other bilateral partners.

Last year Ireland provided assistance to over eighty countries. However, Ireland places particular emphasis on long term support to eight programme countries: Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. In 2007 an Embassy was opened in Malawi, which will become Ireland's ninth programme country. These countries are amongst the poorest in the world and Ireland's assistance to them is directed primarily to the social sectors of health, education and rural development in order to make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 580: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of overseas development aid allocated for educational projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1911/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Education is a key component of Ireland's overseas development aid programme. This focus was reiterated in the White Paper on Irish Aid in 2006 which states that 'Education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalised adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty'. In 2007 Irish Aid, the Government's official aid programme, expended approximately €65 million on a range of education projects and programmes across the aid programme. Over the period 2000-2007 the total expenditure on education amounted to approximately €360 million.

This level of expenditure reflects Ireland's commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, in particular the goal of achieving universal primary education by 2015 and the important contribution of education to poverty reduction.

Funding for education is delivered through a range of channels, including direct support to Ministries of Education, NGOs and missionaries as well as multilateral agencies and global initiatives. Support to education encompasses assistance which is designed to put in place sustainable education systems, through support for teacher training, provision of textbooks and teaching materials, school construction and the development of curricula. This enables Ministries of Education to provide quality education with a focus on child centred learning for the increasing numbers of children attending schools. The main focus is on primary education, including support for girl's education and strengthening the education sector response to HIV and AIDS. Support is also provided, where appropriate, to second and third level institutions.

Approximately two thirds of expenditure is allocated to partner countries in sub-Saharan Africa, namely Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zambia and South Africa. Over the past decade there has been encouraging progress in these countries with increased enrolments of primary school children. In Mozambique for example enrolments increased from 2.5 million in 2000 to over 4 million in 2006. In Ethiopia enrolments were 11.2 million in 2006 compared with 6.5 million in 2000.

Irish Aid also supports Irish NGOs and missionaries for their education work in countries such as Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. In 2006 approximately €16 million was allocated to national and international NGOs for their work in education.

In addition to the support provided directly at country level Irish Aid also funds global initiatives such as the Education for All Fast-Track Initiative and multilateral organisations including the World Bank, UNICEF and UNESCO. This enables Ireland to support the achievement of universal primary education in a greater number of low income countries.

The Government recognises that sustainable improvements in education systems will require a long-term commitment of resources by national governments and by the international community. In the context of an expanded aid programme, Irish Aid is committed to providing assistance to education in a sustained and predictable manner.