Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 52: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the commitment of 0.7% of GNP target for overseas development aid will be achieved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32723/11]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Ireland's overseas development programme, managed by my Department, has an enviable international reputation and is rightly recognised as one of the best in the world. Its priority is the fight against extreme poverty and hunger, and it is concentrated in some of the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The programme has a rigorous focus on achieving results and provides strong international leadership in making aid more effective. The latest mid-term OECD Review of our aid programme, published last month, stated that Ireland is one of the best performing members in relation to aid effectiveness.

In this House, Ireland's aid programme enjoys strong cross party support and consistently receives high levels of support from the wider public. This Government is strongly committed to the programme, which is central to our foreign policy, and we are proud of its achievements. The Programme for Government underlines our commitment to the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNP on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). We remain focused on this 0.7% target and are working towards its attainment.

We were elected to restore growth and prosperity to the economy and rebuild our international reputation on the world stage. Although we have made steady progress, we continue to face considerable challenges in ensuring our public finances are put back on a sound and sustainable footing. However, despite our current difficulties we are not willing to turn our back on the world's poorest and most marginalised, and are working hard to ensure Ireland meets its international commitments on Overseas Development Assistance.

The Government is ambitious for our aid programme, and is committed to maintaining its high international reputation, but above all, we want to ensure that we continue to deliver real and sustainable improvements to the lives of the world's poorest citizens.