Written answers

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Department of Foreign Affairs

Overseas Development Aid

10:00 am

Photo of Tom SheahanTom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the funding provided from the overseas aid budget to non-governmental organisations in 2009; the reductions in NGO funding in 2010; the way these reductions will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27558/10]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's aid programme, administered from within my department by Irish Aid, is sharply focused on the reduction and eventual eradication of global poverty and hunger. Our partnership with development Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and missionaries represents a very important element in this effort, reflecting the broad support among Irish people for the development programme. The Irish aid programme channels over 20% of overall assistance through NGOs and missionaries, one of the highest proportions internationally.

Funding for NGOs is administered through a range of funding schemes covering long term development, emergency and recovery assistance and development education. Additional funding is provided to NGOs under the development programmes in the nine priority countries for Irish Aid, where we have a commitment to long term strategic assistance. Irish Aid also cooperates closely with the representative group Misean Cara, providing very significant funding for the work of Irish missionaries with poor communities in the developing world.

In 2009, the Government provided a total of €696 million for Official Development Assistance. €571 million of this was provided under Vote 29 (International Co-Operation) of the Department of Foreign Affairs, for the aid programme managed by Irish Aid. Of this amount, over €152 million was channelled through development NGOs and missionaries, to support their work in livelihood and food security, rural economic development, health, education, gender equality and humanitarian response programmes.

The overall ODA allocation which the Government has provided for 2010 involves a relatively small reduction of €25 million on the total for 2009. As a result, it is likely that the outturn for 2010 will show some reduction in funding for NGOs. However, the precise amount will depend on appraisal and approval processes which are still underway. I can confirm that the amount of funding provided to the five main NGO partners for long term development work and to Misean Cara will remain at the same level as 2009: Concern, Trócaire, Goal, Self Help Africa and Christian Aid will receive a total of €56 million for this purpose, and Misean Cara will receive €16 million.

It will be necessary this year to limit the number of new projects funded, while honouring the multi-annual commitments to NGO partners. As a number of NGO projects have reached the end of their funding cycles with Irish Aid, it will be possible to release some funding for new projects this year. Proposals from NGOs are currently under consideration and I expect that the details of successful candidates will be announced after the summer.

The Government is determined that our aid programme will maintain its focus on poverty and hunger, and that we will continue to strengthen our partnership with civil society, and our concentration on achieving clear development results. This partnership goes beyond funding arrangements, and involves continuous policy dialogue across a range of vital issues, to ensure that the overall Irish contribution to development has the maximum effect on the lives of the poorest people in the world.

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