Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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854. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to set out the cost to the Exchequer to maintain the target of 0.7% GDP on overseas development aid; and the cost to the Exchequer of changing the target to reflect a change in GDP projections over the next five years. [26229/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. “One World, One Future”, our policy for international development, clearly articulates our commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product (GNP) as Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The Programme for Government sets out our commitment to making progress towards the UN target as resources permit. It is important that such progress is made in a sustainable and manageable way which strengthens Ireland's recognised role as a reliable and effective partner in providing humanitarian assistance and contributing to the fight to end global poverty and hunger.

For 2016, the Government has provided a total of €641 million in ODA, and it was estimated that this level of allocation would deliver an ODA/GNP ratio of approximately 0.36 %. Based on current Department of Finance forecasts, the budget which would be required to achieve the UN target of 0.7% in 2016 would be of the order of €1.3 billion.

The following table sets out the ODA levels required for each of the next five years to maintain the ODA / GNP percentage at the confirmed 2015 level of 0.36%. The calculations are based on current Department of Finance forecasts for GNP.

Ireland’s aid programme has an enviable international reputation with a strong focus on poverty reduction and hunger alleviation, delivering real and sustainable changes to the lives of some of the worlds most marginalised and vulnerable communities. Our ambition is enhance this reputation and build on those successes into the future.