Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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508. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the targets for overseas development aid provided for by his Department for the next five years, both as a monetary figure and as a percentage of gross national product; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8253/15]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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This 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", reaffirms 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 four years, despite the very difficult economic circumstances facing the country, the Government has successfully managed to stabilise allocations to Ireland's aid programme. For 2015, we were again determined to protect the aid programme, and have provided a total allocation of just over €600 million in Official Development Assistance, a small increase on 2014.

This clearly demonstrates our commitment to the aid programme and represents a very significant contribution on behalf of the people of Ireland to assist those less fortunate than ourselves. As our economic recovery consolidates and strengthens, I am determined to set out the strongest possible case for building further on our current commitment to the aid programme.

Our priority now is to ensure we continue to focus on tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice, strengthening our key partner countries ability to deliver essential services to their citizens, and delivering real and sustainable improvements to the lives of some of the world’s poorest people and communities.