Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recognises the specific skill sets and expertise of civil society and the vital contribution that civil society makes across development co-operation overseas. Ireland has long been the OECD DAC, Development Assistance Committee, member which provides the greatest percentage of bilateral overseas development aid, ODA, to and through civil society organisations. In 2016, the Irish percentage was 43%, compared to an OECD DAC average of 15%. Indeed, in 2017, 51% of Ireland’s bilateral ODA, over €165 million was channelled to and through NGOs, an even higher percentage.

Accordingly, prudential management of these Irish Aid funds is imperative to optimise the benefits for the poorest and most vulnerable and to ensure accountability to the taxpayer. In particular, payments are dependent upon compliance with terms and conditions of grants, including receipt of satisfactory reports on previous funding and achievement of benchmarks. My officials continue to engage actively with all NGOs in receipt of Irish Aid funding in relation to fulfilment of requirements for remaining payments this year.

The Department has piloted a new grant management system across Irish Aid funds this year to ensure that programmes and projects funded by Irish Aid meet the increasing level of due diligence required both nationally and internationally. Given the wide range of grant programmes which Irish Aid administers, it is not correct to generalise about the timing of grants to all NGOs. Among due diligence requirements, grantees are required to maintain adequate levels of reserves and an appropriate level of dependency on Irish Aid. Timing of grant disbursal is dependent on a number of factors, not all of which are predictable, including quality of input received from applicants, percentage of successful applicants meeting their benchmarks in a timely manner as well as internal capacity within Irish Aid.