Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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57. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the multilateral aid programme continues to reach those for whom it was intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3905/18]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is strongly committed to delivering Ireland’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme in the most effective way, providing humanitarian assistance and contributing to the fight against global poverty and hunger, including through working with multilateral partners. Funding for multilateral organisations is kept under regular review by my Department, to ensure that it is targeted and provided to partners which can contribute most effectively to delivering the priorities of our foreign policy and our international development policy, as set out in the Global Islandand in One World, One Future. In this way, we are playing a strong role in supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In total, Ireland contributed €443.35 million to multilateral organisations in 2016. This was mainly channelled through: the European Union development cooperation and humanitarian programmes, for example the European Development Fund (EDF); the United Nations in the form of either core funding for UN agencies, or specific programmatic support, for example with UNICEF; and the multilateral development banks such as the World Bank - all important contributors to social and economic development, peace and security, and human rights.

Throughout, the ability of these multilateral channels to reach the poorest and most fragile countries and regions in the world, and deliver real results on the ground, is at the forefront of Ireland’s financing and engagement.

Programmes considered for funding assistance are rigorously appraised using clear criteria, including efficiency in the use of resources, cost effectiveness, accountability, and sustainability of intended impact. Programmes in receipt of funding are subject to regular internal and external monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the intended objectives and goals are being achieved - for example using the (MOPAN) evaluations which every year focus on a number of multilateral organisations.

Ireland also plays a strong role in the relevant management structures of our multilateral partners, for example as Board Members of UNDP and UNFPA this year. In addition, we use our Embassy network, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, to monitor the work of our multilateral partners on the ground and ensure that aid reaches the targeted population.

The review of Ireland’s development cooperation programme, to culminate in a new White Paper later this year, provides an opportunity to further elaborate on our engagement with multilateral partners, and a new multilateral strategy will be finalised later this year to follow through on that.