John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 376: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if there are plans to cut funding to the overseas aid package for 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4353/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Most of Ireland's expenditure on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is provided under Vote 29, International Co-operation. The programme is administered by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also known as Irish Aid. Further contributions to ODA are made by other Government Departments and through Ireland's allocation to the EU Development Cooperation Budget.

Ireland is the sixth most generous aid donor internationally in per capita terms. The Government's development programme is central to our foreign policy. In 2009, as in previous years, Ireland will have one of the strongest aid programmes in the world, with a particular focus on the poorest people in the least developed countries in Africa. We are taking a leadership role internationally on the global hunger crisis, and the aid programme will continue to reflect this priority in 2009 and beyond.

Last October, under the Budget for 2009, the Government allocated a total of €891 million for ODA. Of this, €754 million was provided under Vote 29 with a further €137 million being contributed by other Government Departments and through the EU Development Cooperation Budget.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government last week took the difficult decision to reduce the total ODA budget for 2009 to €796 million. The decision was taken as part of the determined effort to curb public expenditure in order to establish a platform for the resumption of strong economic growth, and further expansion of the Government's development programme in years to come.