Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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408. To ask the Minister for Health the amount contributed to the World Health Organisation in each of the past six years; the programmes that benefitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23353/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department makes membership payments to the World Health Organisation (WHO) annually based on the assessed contribution for a given budgetary period. A member state’s contribution to the WHO is calculated relative to the country’s wealth and population. The budget requirements are estimated on a biennial basis and agreed at the WHO Executive Board before being adopted at the World Health Assembly.

The table below shows the amounts paid in the last six years:

The membership contribution helps support the activities of the WHO’s General Programme of Work (GPW) which comprises the “base” programmes, plus polio, special programmes and the event-driven component of outbreaks and crisis response.

The base programmes of the current GPW are as follows:

Category 1: Communicable Diseases

Category 2: Noncommunicable Diseases

Category 3: Promoting Health Through The Life Course

Category 4: Health Systems

Category 5: Preparedness, Surveillance and Response

Category 6: Corporate Services/Enabling Functions.

In addition, the Department of Health also makes financial contributions to other WHO initiatives, namely the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

IARC contributes to the development of cancer policies and cancer control through research (including aetiological, epidemiological, screening and health systems research), dissemination of information, development of standards and training of cancer specialists.

The table below shows the financial contributions to IARC for each of the years 2012-2017:

The benefits of such international collaboration are acknowledged in the recently published National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO. It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005. Ireland ratified the treaty in November 2005.

The contributions made to the FCTC since 2012 are set out in the following table:

The contributions go toward a workplan and budget which is agreed on at the Conference of Parties (COP).