Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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43. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on Ireland's Overseas Development Aid Programme, including the way in which this vital aid will be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49074/22]

Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland's international development programme, Irish Aid, has a strong global reputation for quality and effectiveness. This reputation was reconfirmed in the 2020 OECD Peer Review of Ireland’s Development Assistance. Also in 2020, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), a leading global development think tank, ranked Ireland as the number one donor in delivering principled aid in their “Principled Aid Index 2020”, for the second successive year.

The focus of the programme is on delivering transformative and sustainable change for the poorest and most vulnerable. The Government's international development policy, A Better World, prioritises the promotion of gender equality, reducing humanitarian need, support to climate action and strengthening governance as key strategies to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We focus on areas where Ireland has proven expertise and can make a real difference. These include conflict prevention and resolution, humanitarian action, food systems and agriculture, health and nutrition, social protection and education.

Ireland’s aid is untied and is delivered through selected partners including governments, UN agencies, civil society organisations and the private sector, to ensure lasting improvements in the lives of communities living in poverty, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa.

In Budget 2023, the Government provided a total of over €1.22 million for Official Development Assistance, an increase of €177 million on 2022. The overall increase includes an additional €100 million for Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs, a 17% year on year increase.

The increased funding will include allocations to international climate action, humanitarian needs within Ukraine and its immediate neighbours, and the wider food security consequences of the Russian invasion. In view of the urgent need, the Government also allocated a further €30 million for 2022 to provide additional humanitarian assistance for the devastating food security crisis in the Horn of Africa.