Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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In June 2018 the Taoiseach launched Global Ireland, a plan to double Ireland’s global impact by 2025. Among other things, the Government committed to publishing a White Paper on Ireland’s International Development Cooperation and to delivering 0.7% of GNI to Official Development Assistance by 2030.

The public consultation for the new White Paper on international development concluded last month. The intention is to finalise the White Paper before the end of the year.

The new policy will set the context for the Government to continue on its pathway to reaching the United Nations target of 0.7% GNI to ODA over the lifetime of the United Nations sustainable development goals, that is by 2030.

Sustained, managed increments will be required if this target is to be met. A first step was made in budget 2019, which saw the highest increase in the funding available to overseas development assistance in over a decade.Overall Irish ODA funding in 2019 is forecast to reach €816.9 million, an increase of €109.8 million on this year’s allocation. This allocation includes a €44.8 million increase in 2019 for Irish Aid, the international development programme managed by my Department.