Written answers

Wednesday, 12 November 2025

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Overseas Development Aid

Photo of Paul LawlessPaul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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207. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the details of any conditions and stipulations attached to any overseas funding from the State; if the State ever makes such funding conditional on the recipient state agreeing to change its laws or practices in support of abortion as an element of sexual and reproductive health. [61335/25]

Photo of Neale RichmondNeale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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There are no conditions or stipulations attached to Ireland’s Official Development Assistance obliging recipient states to change laws or practices in support of abortion as an element of sexual and reproductive health.

Ireland’s policy for international development cooperation, A Better World, reflects a long-standing commitment to delivering high quality, untied, assistance, as referenced in regular peer-reviews by the OECD Development Assistance Committee.

The conditions reflected in grant agreements used for Official Development Assistance relate to results, accountability and transparency, and, are consistent with the established public funds accountability frameworks of the Public Spending Code, and, the circular from the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on the Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds.

We recognise that access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights is fundamental for transforming women's health outcomes, and for gender equality more broadly. Ireland aligns fully with the EU consensus position on sexual and reproductive health and rights, which recognises the need for universal access to quality and affordable comprehensive sexual and reproductive health-care services, for all.

Ireland has a long-standing commitment to improve maternal health, prevent sexual and gender based violence, and end the epidemic of HIV and AIDS. Since 2023 a new initiative on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) commits to scaling up action to reduce unmet need for contraception among adolescent and young women, including those in humanitarian crises. With 700 pregnant women dying every day from preventable causes, Ireland’s sustained efforts on SRHR, including in humanitarian settings, is helping to save lives for at-risk women and girls in some of the most vulnerable communities globally.

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