Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Irish and other development non-governmental and missionary organisations that have been informed of reductions in funding from the overseas aid budget in 2009; the amount of the reduction in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21798/09]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of the overseas aid budget that will be channelled through Irish and other development non-governmental and missionary organisations in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21797/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 43 together.

The overarching goal of the Government's aid programme, administered by Irish Aid, is the reduction of global poverty and hunger. Our partnership with development Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and missionaries represents a very important element of this effort, reflecting the broad support among the Irish people for the development programme. The OECD has confirmed that the proportion of funding channelled by Irish Aid through NGOs is higher than for any other international donor.

Irish Aid engages with development NGOs through the Multi-Annual Programme scheme, the Civil Society Fund and a number of Emergency funding schemes. It provides significant additional funding to NGOs under the development programmes in the nine priority countries for Irish Aid, where there is a commitment to long-term strategic assistance. Irish Aid also co-operates closely with Misean Cara, representing the range of Irish missionaries working with the poor in the developing world.

In 2009, the total funding from the aid budget which will be provided to development NGOs and missionaries will amount to over €135 million. This funding will support the work of NGOs in livelihood and food security, rural economic development, health, education, gender equality and the fight against HIV and AIDS. Irish Aid will also provide significant additional funding to development NGOs in response to humanitarian emergencies and crises during the year.

These figures reflect the decisions which have had to be taken across the aid programme following the difficult decision by the Government to reduce the overall budget for development assistance in 2009 to €696 million. The adjustment in funding plans includes a reduction of some 20% in funding for NGOs with which we have multi-annual funding agreements for long-term development activities and which receive annual grants of more than €500,000. The NGOs in question have been informed of the reductions. They are: Trócaire, Goal, Concern, Christian Aid, Self Help Ireland, Misean Cara, Aidlink, Christian Blind Mission, Childfund, Children in Crossfire, Fairtrade, Fodesapso, Plan Ireland, Progressio, Sightsavers International Ireland, Tearfund, The Carter Center, Vita, VSO Ireland, and War on Want NI.

There has been no reduction in funding for NGOs which have multi-annual funding commitments of less than €500,000 per year for long term development activities.

I very much regret the need to reduce the overall budget for development assistance, and the decisions which have been necessary on funding to the NGO sector. They have been taken solely in the context of the need to stabilise the public finances. The NGOs affected by the budget adjustments have significant autonomy in the management of these adjustments across their programmes, in the context of their overall budgetary situation. Irish Aid is working closely with the representatives of the organisations to ensure that the impact of budget reductions on the poorest and most vulnerable is minimised.

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of long-term development workers, volunteers and missionaries in the developing world who will be funded in 2009 by the aid programme administered by Irish Aid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21799/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government aid programme, administered by Irish Aid, is supporting and is supported by over 1,300 long term development workers, volunteers and missionaries in the developing world. Their work is an important element in the overall Irish contribution to the reduction and eventual eradication of global poverty and hunger.

The Government has directly supported the work of volunteers in the developing world since the official aid programme was established over 30 years ago. Initially, support was administered through the Agency for Personal Service Overseas. Since 2003, it has been administered directly through Irish Aid. Many of the non-governmental organisations which receive funding from Irish Aid also devote a proportion of this support to the participation of voluntary workers in their programmes. In addition to providing funding for Misean Cara, the organisation which covers the personnel costs of missionaries in the developing world, Irish Aid supports a range of organisations which send long term and short term volunteers overseas. These include Voluntary Service Overseas, Suas, Serve, Goal and the United Nations Volunteer Organisation.

The Government will continue to provide substantial support for volunteering in 2009. I strongly welcome the interest being demonstrated by Irish people in pursuing volunteering opportunities in developing countries. The Irish Aid Volunteering and Information Centre was established in 2008 to promote responsible volunteering and to facilitate and harness this public interest in a constructive and positive manner. I was very pleased that over 400 people attended the Volunteering Fair organised by Irish Aid on 18 April in the Centre earlier this year. This level of interest reflects the high public support in Ireland for development and for our commitment to fighting global poverty.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the aid that has been given in recent times to the Karamojo area of northern Uganda. [21831/09]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Uganda is one of the nine Programme Countries for the Government's aid programme, where we have a commitment to long term strategic assistance. The programme of support for Uganda, administered by Irish Aid, focuses on areas which will have the greatest impact on the poorest and most vulnerable people and communities.

Karamoja, in Northern Uganda, is the least socially and economically developed region in the country, with poverty levels of 69%, which is more than twice the national average. Literacy rates in the region are the lowest in Uganda, at 6%, compared to over 70% nationally.

Irish Aid has been providing support to Karamoja since 2004, focusing on the provision of secondary education. The main components of the programme are the construction and rehabilitation of schools, the provision of laboratory equipment, and a bursary scheme. In 2008, Irish Aid provided €4 million for school construction and rehabilitation. This programme involves the rehabilitation of 13 post-primary and training institutions in Karamoja and the construction of administration blocks, teachers' houses, latrines, classrooms, dormitories, libraries and laboratories. The construction of these new facilities, once completed, is expected to provide over 2,000 new school places.

In 2008, €200,000 was also allocated for the bursary scheme which provides support to allow students to avail of secondary education, 65% of these students are girls.

In addition to funds provided directly through the programme budget, Irish Aid provides significant support to a number of Irish non-governmental organisations in Karamoja, where Goal, Concern, and Trócaire are working to improve rural livelihoods and food security. Last year, Irish Aid also provided humanitarian funding of over €200,000 in response to emergencies caused by drought and food insecurity in Karamoja.

Question No. 43 answered with Question No. 39.