Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 384: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of the countries which received overall funding of €914 million under a scheme (details supplied) in 2008; the amount each country received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4853/09]

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.

During the 2008 estimates process the Government allocated a total of €914 million to ODA. In light of the changed economic situation, the Government reviewed current expenditure allocations in July 2008. In the course of this review, the overall ODA allocation was revised to €899 million. Of this, €769 million was allocated under Vote 29, with an additional estimated €130 million contributed by other Government Departments. The Vote 29 allocation was fully utilised and, while the out-turn figure for other ODA has not yet been finalised, it is expected that it will be close to the €130 million estimate.

Through Irish Aid, the Government provides assistance to more than 90 countries in the developing world, with a strong focus on the least developed countries and Africa. Nine countries have been designated as Programme Countries, with a commitment to long term strategic assistance. They are Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia and Timor Leste. In 2008, the total funding allocated to programme assistance in these nine countries amounted to €218.8 million. A breakdown of these allocations is set out as follows.

A detailed analysis of all expenditure in 2008 under Vote 29 is now being prepared. It will be published later this year in the 2008 Irish Aid Annual Report.