John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 30: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the consultation process he has had with authorities in recipient countries regarding the implementation of cuts in the overseas aid budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15924/09]

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 63: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of the overseas aid budget that was allocated to each of the nine core programme countries each year in 2007 and 2008; the planned reduction of such funding to each of these countries in 2009; the areas that will be affected by these reductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15932/09]

Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 143: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the development aid supports being offered to Lesotho following changes in the budgetary situation in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16004/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 63 and 143 together.

The Government's aid programme, Irish Aid, provides assistance to over 90 developing countries. The programme is recognised internationally for its strong focus on the least developed countries in the world, with a particular emphasis on some of the poorest countries in Africa. Nine countries have been designated as Programme Countries for Irish assistance, seven of them in Africa, with a commitment to long term strategic assistance. These are Tanzania, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Vietnam and Timor Leste.

Support to Programme Countries is framed in agreed country strategies, which are focused on poverty reduction through the implementation of each country's own national development plan. In addition to this programme funding, Irish Aid provides assistance under emergency and humanitarian subheads, through its funding of the activities and programmes of NGOs and through our contributions to UN and other international agencies.

In 2007, programme funding amounting to over €185 million was provided to our nine programme countries. In 2008, this programme funding amounted to almost €220 million. The breakdown of these figures is as follows:

In Malawi, which became Irish Aid's ninth Programme Country in 2007, almost €10 million was disbursed in 2008.

I very much regret that it has been necessary to reduce funding to the development programme for 2009 in the context of the extremely difficult economic situation that the country now faces. The overall allocation for overseas development assistance in 2009 will now be €696 million. This should leave Ireland as the sixth most generous donor in the world on a per capita basis.

We are at present working on the adjustments which will be required to the programme. Given the size of the overall reduction, there will inevitably be adjustments across the programme, including some reductions in our bilateral assistance to programme countries. However, the Government is determined that the continuity of our programmes will be maintained. In some cases, funding timeframes will be extended and disbursement rates modified. Irish Aid's clear focus on the reduction of poverty and hunger, and on the least developed countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, will be maintained.

Decisions on the adjustments to the aid budgets for each of the nine programme countries have not yet been finalised. Discussions are continuing with the Embassies in our programme countries on how best to manage these adjustments. As part of this process, we are engaging in dialogue with our partners on the budgetary situation and its implications. We will maintain the high standards of Ireland's development co-operation programme and its credibility and transparency at home and abroad. We have also given a clear assurance that once the Irish economy has returned to a pattern of sustainable growth, we will resume the expansion of our aid programme.