Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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76. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to develop a roadmap to reach the 0.7% ODA/GNI target; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16877/18]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas development cooperation programme and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. For 2018, we have allocated just over €707 million for Official Development Assistance (ODA), representing a significant investment on behalf of the Irish tax payer and a clear demonstration of our continued strong commitment to Ireland’s aid programme. 2018 is also the third consecutive year we have increased allocations to the aid budget. Based on estimates in Budget 2018, it is anticipated this level of allocation will see ODA amount to approximately 0.3% of GNI in 2018.

The current Programme for Government sets out our ambition to meet the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to ODA, as resources permit. Our goal is to reach the target by 2030, within the timeframe for delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Progress towards the 0.7% target will need to be made through sustained, managed increments, building on Ireland's recognised role as a reliable and effective partner in combatting global poverty and hunger, and providing humanitarian assistance to those most in need. In order to prepare for the managed progression towards the UN target, a new White Paper on Irish overseas development assistance will be produced and published later this year. Reaching the 0.7% target will involve significant increases to the ODA budget over the next decade and more. These increases will focus on delivering real and sustainable results, be managed prudentially and effectively, and will require careful planning and consultation across a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including Government Departments, Irish Development NGOs and the public. The White Paper process will give direction in this regard, as will the recent report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence on Irish Aid.

The table sets out an indicative stepped scenario for meeting the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030, with interim targets of 0.4% in 2022, 0.5% in 2026 and 0.6% in 2028 and delivering on the UN Target by 2030.