Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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192. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide an update on his engagement with Irish Aid agencies working in developing countries in view of recent USAID funding cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27408/25]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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230. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent of Ireland’s interaction with Irish-based aid agencies in respect of Ireland’s programme countries and in the context of the shift in aid policy of the United States and other EU partner states, and the resultant challenges faced by Irish Aid agencies in delivering aid programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27481/25]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 230 together.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been following very closely the reports and announcements in relation to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Ireland’s Embassies and Missions, particularly in developing countries, have also been monitoring developments and the impact on partnerships and programmes on the ground.

While there continues to be some uncertainty, it is clear that there will be a very significant reduction in funding from the US Government for Official Development Assistance (ODA). The impact of these decisions, and of ODA cutbacks by some other major donors, is already being felt. We expect this to be particularly pronounced on humanitarian assistance, global health, gender equality, governance, and human rights. US withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO), its termination of funding to the UN Population Fund and the possible defunding of support for HIV and AIDS, especially in Africa, will have a real impact on vulnerable populations.

We are in regular contact with our partners, including Governments in developing countries, UN and other multilateral agencies, Irish development NGOs and international NGOs. We are committed to continuing to support that is both predictable and flexible. This will help partners to adapt as well as possible in the fact of continuing uncertainty. I am in regular contact with the CEOs of the main Irish development NGOs.

For Irish development agencies, the suspension and termination of some US Government funding is presenting significant organisational and operational challenges, particularly for those in direct receipt of funding for humanitarian and development programmes. We are aware Ireland’s NGO partners began to receive termination notices on contracts at the end of February from the US Government, ordering an immediate cessation of activities. However, the status remains unclear and some agencies have begun to receive payments for work completed in late 2024 and early 2025.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade manages Ireland’s Civil Society Partnership (ICSP), a multi-annual funding programme that provides predictable and flexible funding to Irish NGOs working on development and humanitarian assistance. This is one of the most flexible funding programmes operated by any international donor. The Department is now continuously engaging with each NGO partner to manage the impact of funding cuts on programmes funded through the ICSP, and to ensure these programmes can continue to deliver for the furthest behind.

Ireland remains firmly committed to our international development programme and to the overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. The Government has reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to annual increases in our Official Development Assistance (ODA), working towards achieving the target of 0.7% of Gross National Income. We continue to emphasise that it is not viable for Ireland to make up the funding shortfall resulting in the US cuts and in cuts from other donors. We remain absolutely committed to providing support that is both predictable and flexible, and to maintaining our ODA priorities, focused on ending poverty and hunger in the world.