Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 38: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the impact of budgetary reductions on Ireland's aid programme in Uganda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7158/12]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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For 2012, the Government will provide a total of €639 million for ODA, which, on current projections, will represent over 0.5% of GNP. Given our current economic circumstances this allocation represents a real commitment by the Government and people of Ireland to the world's poorest people.

The allocation represents a total reduction of €20 million on the projected outturn for 2011 – a reduction of €10 million in funding for Vote 27 (International Cooperation) of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and an estimated fall of €10 million in ODA provided from other sources, notably as a result of an expected lower allocation of Ireland's share of the EU Development Cooperation Budget.

Through the overseas aid programme the Government provides assistance to over ninety countries worldwide. Nine have been designated as Programme Countries for Irish Aid, where we have a commitment to long term strategic assistance. These are Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Timor Leste, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.

We are now in the process of allocating the overall budget for 2012, and therefore no individual country budgets have yet been agreed. As has been the case in recent years however, the allocations to Ireland's Programme Countries will be prioritised to the extent possible.

In 2011 the budget for Ireland's bilateral aid programme in Uganda stood at approximately €33 million and I expect the allocation to reduce slightly in 2012. Ireland's aid programme will therefore be able to maintain its commitment to the most vulnerable in Ugandan society and continue to deliver results.

This year we will continue to target priority areas such as the provision of health services for those infected with HIV and AIDS, measures to improve access to education, and a programme that is helping to strengthen Governance and Justice Systems for the citizens of Uganda. A mid-term evaluation of the current five year Programme in Uganda will be conducted later this year to ensure that the funding we provide continues to make a real difference on the ground to the most vulnerable people in Uganda.