Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1221. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his proposals to increase the budget for official development assistance for 2015 in view of the reduction in this budget below 0.50% of GNP since 2011 to an estimated 0.43% of GNP in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34823/14]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, which is at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy on International Development, “One World, One Future”, clearly states our commitment to achieving the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) for Official Development Assistance (ODA), when economic circumstances permit.

Over the past three years, and in the context of the very difficult budgetary and fiscal circumstances facing the country, the Government successfully stabilised the budget for development assistance. This is a very significant achievement, and a clear demonstration of our support and commitment to the aid programme.

In 2011 we allocated € 657 million to ODA, in 2012 €629 million and in 2013 €637 million, a decrease of just 3% over the three-year period. For 2014 we will spend some €600 million on ODA. These are very substantial allocations of public funds and are clear evidence of a consolidation of the development assistance budget. They also represent a genuine investment on behalf of the Irish people in assisting those less fortunate than ourselves.

The estimates process for 2015 is now well advanced. The allocations for ODA, as with allocations to all Government Departments, must be framed in the context of the overall budgetary circumstances we face. They will ultimately be a decision for Government. Nonetheless, I can assure the Deputy, that I and the Minster for Foreign Affairs and Trade will make the strongest case possible for the development assistance programme in the Budget to be announced by the Minister for Finance on 14 October.