Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of foreign aid Ireland contributes overseas with a breakdown on that aid; the amount of the aid used for education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16432/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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In 2008 Ireland's spending on Official Development Assistance (ODA) will reach €914 million. This level of expenditure, the highest in the history of the programme, represents 0.54 % of GNP. It will ensure that Ireland remains one of the most generous donors in the world on a per capita basis.

€814 million of this aid expenditure is delivered by my Department, through Irish Aid. The additional €100 million will be spent by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU Development Cooperation Budget.

In 2008 we will spend in excess of €200 million directly in our Programme Countries in Africa and Asia. These Programme Countries are Ethiopia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Vietnam and Timor Leste. This funding will assist those countries in delivering basic services, promoting economic growth and in building good governance.

We will spend over €130 million on combating HIV/AIDS and other very serious communicable diseases that kill so many. We will provide funding of over €140 million to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), missionaries and other civil society organisations to support their very important development and humanitarian assistance work. Almost €100million will be directed towards the area of emergency response, humanitarian assistance and the Rapid Response Corps.

Education, which remains an integral component of the aid programme, will benefit from expenditure of the order of €70 million. There is a particular focus on primary education and gender equity.

The 2007 Irish Aid Annual Report, which will be available shortly, will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the activities and expenditure under the programme for last year.