Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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571. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which Irish aid continues to target those for whom such aid is intended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13913/23]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The priorities for the Government’s international development programme are set out in our policy, A Better World, which was published in 2019 and which underlines our commitment to working for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The focus is on reaching the furthest behind first, working with some of the world’s poorest countries and communities and those whose lives are affected by crises of conflict, climate change, disease and hunger. The programme places a particular emphasis on protecting and empowering women and girls. It is an integral part of Ireland's foreign policy, with a strong focus on human rights.

The Government has provided a total of €1.233 million for Official Development Assistance (ODA) for 2023, the highest ever allocation and an 18% increase on 2022. Ireland's ODA is channelled to the most needy through our bilateral programmes managed by Irish Embassies abroad, funding to civil society organisations, including Irish development NGO, and funding through multilateral organisations such as the UN, and international financial institutions such as the World Bank. Our funding is complemented by Ireland's political and diplomatic engagement.

Ireland's development programme has a very strong global reputation for quality and effectiveness. The most recent peer review of Ireland's development cooperation, by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, in 2020, found Ireland to be a strong voice for sustainable development, investing in strong partnerships with civil society and effective in addressing conflict and fragility. The same year, the international development think-tank, ODI, found Ireland to be the most principled donor country in allocating overseas development assistance.