Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

462. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current expenditure of GNP on overseas development aid; the cost based on current growth forecasts of reaching levels (details supplied) of the United Nations target for overseas development aid in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9800/17]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This year the Government has allocated a total of €651 million for Official Development Assistance (ODA), an increase of €10 million on the 2016 allocation. This is the second consecutive year we have increased the overall allocation to ODA.

Of this total, €486 million will be managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under Vote 27 International Cooperation. A further estimated €165 million will come from other Government Departments and Ireland’s share of the EU Development Co-operation Budget.

This allocation represents a very substantial investment of public funds in Ireland’s aid programme and is a clear indication of our commitment to increase allocations in a sustainable manner as resources permit. It is worth restating that since 2011 the Government has made annual contributions in excess of €600 million to ODA, amounting to a total of some €4.5 billion up to the end of 2017. This is a hugely significant contribution to the fight to eradicate global hunger, reduce extreme poverty and provide live-saving humanitarian assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

The table below sets out the potential levels of ODA required to deliver the ODA/GNP percentage levels outlined in the Deputy’s Question. These calculations are based on the Department of Finance Budget Day forecast for GNP for 2017.