Written answers

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Overseas Development Aid Expenditure

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

210. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which the €13 million allocated to official development assistance, ODA, in budget 2018 will affect our ODA to GNP target; the resulting estimated ODA as a percentage of GNP as a result of this increase; the percentage of ODA to GNP in each of the years 2007 to 2016 and to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43740/17]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Last week for budget 2018, the Government announced a total allocation of €707 million to Official Development Assistance (ODA). This represents an increase of some €26 million on the current year, and is the third consecutive year the Government has increased budget allocations to Ireland’s Aid programme.

Just over €500 million of the total ODA allocation for 2018 will be managed by my Department through Vote 27 International Cooperation, publically known as Irish Aid. This represents a welcome increase of over €13 million on the 2017 allocation to Irish Aid. The further €207 million is comprised of funding made by other Government Departments to multilateral organisations, such as that provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to the World Food Programme, as well as Ireland’s share of the EU Development Cooperation budget.

This significant investment in Ireland’s development aid programme is a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to making sustainable and manageable increases to the aid budget as resources allow.

On current projections for Gross Domestic Product (GNP), the 2017 ODA/GNP percentage will be approximately 0.3%. Using the GNP forecast for next year, it is expected that the 2018 ODA/GNP percentage should again be 0.3% - in effect maintaining the target at the expected 2017 outturn level.

I am committed to a clear roadmap towards the achievement of the UN target of an ODA contribution of 0.7% of GNP. Working with Minister Coveney and colleagues across Government, I would anticipate proposals in this regard in the first half of next year.

Our priority is to now use those additional resources to meet our commitment in the fight against poverty and hunger, continue to bring real and sustainable improvements some of the world’s poorest communities and increase our response to the unprecedented level of humanitarian needs worldwide.

A summary of the percentage of GNP spent on ODA for the years 2007 through to 2017 are set out as follows:

ODA as a Percentage of GNP 2007 - 2017 (Figures in € Millions)

Year ODA as a % of Revised GNP
Estimate 20170.30%
Outturn 20160.33%
20150.32%
20140.38%
20130.43%
20120.47%
20110.50%
20100.51%
20090.54%
20080.59%
20070.53%

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.