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

Question 37: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the percentage of the overall overseas aid budget which is being devoted to the implementation of the recommendations of the Hunger Task Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21800/09]

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

The Report of the Government's Hunger Task Force (HTF), which was published in September 2008, recommended that Ireland can make a real contribution to tackling the root causes of hunger by increasing the productivity of smallholder farmers in Africa, by implementing programmes on maternal and infant under-nutrition and by ensuring that there is committed political action at national and international levels to give world hunger the priority it deserves.

I have welcomed this focused approach by the HTF on these three thematic areas and have also announced that the eradication of hunger will be identified as a key component of the official aid programme. In addition to making practical recommendations, the HTF also recommended that Ireland adopt an indicative target for the level of development assistance going to hunger related areas and suggested an allocation of 20% of Ireland's Overseas Development Assistance be focused on hunger and hunger related activities by 2012. We are now working towards spending approximately 20% of our aid programme on hunger and hunger related projects and programmes.