Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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Question 32: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will honour the commitment given at the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Summit to pledge €1 million in support for developing countries to deal with climate change; and if so, the fund from which it will be taken. [8786/11]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Climate change has been described by the UN Secretary General as the greatest humanitarian challenge facing the world today. It is clear that the communities which are being most severely affected by climate change are those in the world's poorest countries. The impact of climate change is contributing to a growing incidence of humanitarian disasters, and to increased poverty, food insecurity, hunger and disease.

At the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit in December 2009, Ireland affirmed that it would meet its international climate commitments and play a full role in agreeing a new comprehensive global climate agreement. Ireland signed up to the Copenhagen Accord, under which developed countries committed to provide a total of US$10 billion annually over the three years 2010 to 2012, building towards a total annual contribution of US$100 billion by 2020, for climate actions in developing countries.

Recognising that climate change presents particular challenges for developing countries, the European Union committed at Copenhagen to making a significant contribution of €7.2 billion in fast start financing for developing countries in the period 2010-2012. The then Taoiseach pledged at the European Council prior to the Copenhagen Summit that Ireland would provide up to €100 million in the period 2010-2012 as its share of this EU commitment. Ireland's contribution is being provided under the Votes of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, which has the lead role on the international climate change negotiations, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, which manages the Government's aid programme. Through the Department of the Environment, €23 million was provided in 2010 for climate actions in developing countries. The funding was channelled through the EU Global Climate Change Alliance, with a particular focus on the impact of climate change in a number of the priority countries in Africa for Ireland's bilateral aid programme.

The Government's aid programme, administered by Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs, has a strong climate change focus to its work in a number of countries. It is estimated that in 2010, over €10 million was provided under the programme for work focused on the effects of climate change. This includes support to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, a group of institutions working to help farmers in developing countries to adapt to the challenges presented by climate change. In Malawi, for instance, Ireland's support focuses on increasing smallholder productivity, using drought resistant crops and sustainable agriculture techniques, and working with communities to devise programmes which can help them cope better with climatic and economic shocks.

It is important that developed countries act in line with the commitments which they have made internationally and continue to play their part in assisting developing countries to cope with the impact of climate change. As Minister with responsibility for Ireland's overseas development programme, I will ensure that we continue to strengthen our response, in particular for the least developed countries, which are least able to cope. Through the aid programme, we will build our support for programmes and projects that have a strong impact on the interlinked areas of development and climate change adaptation.