Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the budget for Ireland's overseas development aid programme for 2011; the position regarding same for 2012; if he will publically recommit to the 0.7% overseas development aid and GNI target by 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20216/11]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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For 2011, Ireland will provide a total of €659 million in Official Development Assistance (ODA). Of this funding, €524 million will be administered by Irish Aid, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which manages the Government's aid programme. The remaining €135 million is accounted for by contributions to international development by other Government Departments and by Ireland's share of the EU development cooperation budget. On current projections, this allocation will ensure that Ireland provides approximately 0.52 % of GNP for development assistance in 2011.

The Government is strongly committed to Ireland's overseas aid programme, which is central to our foreign policy. We are committed to the international 0.7% of GNP target, and we are working to achieve it by 2015. We have launched a review of the 2006 White Paper on Irish Aid, to ensure that we have a clear set of priorities for the aid programme in the years ahead, taking account of the changing economic circumstances, in Ireland, across the European Union and in the developing world. The Government is determined to ensure that Ireland continues to make a strong contribution, through our aid programmes and international policy discussions, to the fight against global poverty and hunger.

ODA allocations for 2012 will be agreed in the upcoming estimates process and set within the overall budgetary framework and fiscal constraints facing the country. The allocations will be announced by the Minister for Finance in his annual Budget Statement. I can assure the Deputy that I will make the strongest possible case for the 2012 development aid allocation.