Nicky McFadden (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the steps taken by his Department to ensure stronger accountability in relation to overseas aid provision; if he will ensure that the aid provided is being used in the correct way and to directly help those most in need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9288/13]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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As Minister of State with responsibility for Ireland’s Official Development Assistance, I am very conscious of the need to have a high level of accountability of our development assistance and to ensure that it makes a real difference to the lives of the world’s poorest people. International reviews by the OECD have clearly stated that the Government’s international aid programme - managed by my Department - is one of the highest quality, characterised by its focus on poverty reduction and building the capacities of poor communities and national institutions in some of the poorest countries in the world.

Programmes in receipt of Irish Aid funding are subject to regular internal and external monitoring to ensure that our support is reaching its intended beneficiaries and the planned objectives and goals of the Irish Aid programme are being achieved. These programmes are regularly monitored by internal auditors, by independent experts, and by the Evaluation and Audit Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These reports are reviewed by the independent Audit Committee of the Department. We also provide assistance to national Government oversight and accountability institutions, such as the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committees of national Parliaments, to ensure Governments are held to account for the effective expenditure of public funds, including overseas development assistance.

The recent case in Uganda, where there was evidence of the fraudulent use of Irish Aid funds, which have now been fully refunded, is a clear indication of the need for continuous vigilance in the oversight of any Irish Aid funds disbursed to our programme partners. While the report into the fraud clearly stated “that the fraud could only have been perpetrated by a level of collusion that would not have been reasonably anticipated” it made a number of recommendations which have been fully accepted by me. Our management and oversight systems are continually under review to ensure that Irish development funding goes to those most in need, and that we meet the highest standards of accountability. Our oversight systems are also being reviewed in the light of the Uganda report and, where necessary, will be adapted if any deficiencies are identified.