Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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82. To ask the Minister for Finance the date on which overseas development aid funds approved in October 2017 were transferred to Irish Aid for onward distribution to civil society and other approved organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42659/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy is presumably referring to Budget 2018 (as published in October 2017), within which, money was approved by the Oireachtas and drawn down as appropriate during the following year by the relevant Vote. For Budget 2018, the Government announced a total allocation of €707 million to Official Development Assistance (ODA). Just over €500 million is being managed by The Department of Foreign Affairs through Vote 27 International Cooperation, publically known as Irish Aid. This represented an increase of over €13 million on the 2017 Vote allocation.

The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas aid programme, and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. Our priorities are clearly laid out in the Government’s development policy, ‘One World One Future’. In line with our commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, our aid programme is sharply focused on delivering our goals of reducing poverty and hunger, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth and building more equitable and better systems of governance.