merrion street

Minister for Trade and Development, Joe Costello T.D., said the Government’s achievement in stabilising the budget for overseas development assistance reaffirms Ireland’s solidarity with the world’s poorest people.

“I welcome the fact that the government has succeeded in stabilising our core development aid funding for 2014, as in the last two budgets. This will enable Ireland to maintain its leading contribution to the fight against extreme poverty and hunger in a way which maximises our impact and achieves value for every euro we spend.

“Our aid programme is recognised internationally as one of the most effective in the world, with a strong focus on tackling hunger, poverty and climate change and fostering economic growth, human rights and accountability. It reflects the values of the Irish people and their interests in the world.

“In the first years of the economic crisis facing Ireland, the then government had to reduce the aid budget by some 30%. This government has succeeded in broadly stabilising the budget. While the allocation announced today will reduce our spending on overseas assistance by some 3% compared to last year, it still represents a very significant allocation for Ireland’s aid programme.

“The government’s new policy on international development – ‘One World One Future’- sets out our continuing commitment to achieving the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Product for Official Development Assistance (ODA) when economic circumstances permit.”

Press office

October 15, 2013

Note to the editor

· Irish Aid is the government’s programme of overseas assistance. It is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

For 2014, the government has allocated €602 million for Official Development Assistance (ODA). Some €482.6 million will be managed through Vote 27 – International Co-operation by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and some €120 million will be managed through other government departments and Ireland’s share of the EU development co-operation budget.

· This represents a reduction of €14.4 million on the 2013 allocation for Vote 27.

· On current estimates, it should equate to about 0.43% of GNP next year.

· Over the past two years, the government has broadly stabilised the budget for Official Development Assistance – allocating €629 million on ODA in 2012 and €622 million in 2013.