Written answers

Wednesday, 27 June 2018

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Overseas Development Aid

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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97. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his colleagues in the EU and UN continue to focus on locations for the distribution of Irish aid with particular reference to the need to ensure that aid goes to those for whom it is intended with minimum delay and maximum impact; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28344/18]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. Funding is kept under regular review by the Department, to ensure that is it well targeted and channelled through 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 Island and in One World, One Future, and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals. The recently launched Global Ireland: Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025, commits Government to publishing a White Paper on Ireland’s international development and to making progress towards the United Nations target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) in Official Development Assistance by 2030. Through the generous support of Irish taxpayers, and in close collaboration with the UN, EU and other partners, this funding is making a difference in alleviating the suffering caused by humanitarian crises and hunger, and supporting improvements in access to health, education, agriculture and social protection services for some of the world’s most vulnerable and marginalised people. During my recent visits to Africa and other locations, I witnessed at first hand the impact of Ireland’s international development programmes across these priority areas, ensuring on behalf of the Irish people that our aid programme is delivering results for those it is intended.

The Government’s plan to double Ireland’s worldwide scope and impact by 2025 will build on our strengths in current priority locations, including but not exclusively in sub Saharan Africa. This plan opens potential to expand our development cooperation in West Africa and to strengthen our relationship with Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The latter have been significantly impacted by climate change. Our ambition in the White Paper on international development will be to continue to lead the achievement of collective global aspirations for a better world expressed in the SDGs. We also aim to strengthen our collaboration with EU, UN, and other partners.

My Department is committed to ensuring that Irish assistance is delivered effectively and efficiently to those most in need. Our Embassy network, especially in Sub Saharan Africa and other locations such as Vietnam and Palestine, continue to play a key role in the planning, management and oversight of all Ireland’s partners – including the EU and UN - on the ground.

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