Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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115. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way the allocation of the welcome increase in overseas development aid will be determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37688/15]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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For 2016, the Government has provided a total of over €640 million in ODA (Official Development Assistance), an increase of €40 million, or almost 7%, on the 2015. This is the first increase in the aid budget for seven years. Of the total, €486 million will be allocated to my Department for the Irish Aid programme. A further estimated €155 million will be accounted for by allocations to other Government Departments and Ireland’s share of the EU Development Cooperation Budget.

Detailed financial allocations are now being planned across the aid programme to respond to current needs and priorities. Clear criteria are in place to inform the budget allocation process.

It is also clear that in 2016 we will need to increase our direct funding for the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East and Africa through the UN system and trusted Irish and International NGOs. We will use our humanitarian and development assistance in a more coordinated way to respond to the immediate humanitarian crisis and build the resilience of endangered communities against future crisis.

Sub-Saharan Africa will remain the priority region for the aid programme. We will continue to focus on the poorest communities in Africa, particularly in our key partner countries. We are focused on delivering real and sustainable improvements to the lives of some of the world poorest and most vulnerable people in the areas of basic health, education, agriculture and food production. While some of these countries have made remarkable economic progress, they still remain amongst the world’s least developed and unequal.