Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount of funding for development education from his Department in 2010, 2011, 2012 and proposed for 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57186/12]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Irish Aid programme reflects the values and experience of the Irish people and depends on their continued support. An important element of the programme, funded under Vote 27 of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is support for development education in Ireland. Irish Aid’s development education budget provides funding for the activities of education institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations to build a stronger understanding of global development issues and the role of the Ireland’s development programme. It aims to promote a stronger sense of global solidarity and responsibility and to strengthen public awareness of the reality of the issues involved in our commitment to development cooperation.

Expenditure under the Development Education budget amounted to €4,639,895 in 2010 and €3,236,423 in 2011. The estimated expenditure for 2012 is just over €3,209,000. Additionally, development Non-Governmental Organisations were invited in 2012 to incorporate development education and public engagement initiatives in Ireland as part of their proposals under Irish Aid’s new round of overseas programme funding. This element of the programme funding will amount to some €1,482,000 for 2012. Prior to the 2012 programme funding round, a smaller number of development Non-Governmental Organisations received Irish Aid funding for similar activities which amounted to some €239,700 in 2010 and €210,800 in 2011. The allocation for development education budget for 2013 has yet to be finalised as part of the decisions taken in the context of the annual budgetary process.