Dochas members are calling for the Irish Government to adopt a phased approach towards increasing overseas development assistance (ODA), to ensure the commitment of 0.7% by 2025 is reached.

Dublin September 13TH, 2019: Dochas

In 2000, Ireland, along with leaders of the world’s most developed countries, committed itself to the UN target of spending 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2015. Dóchas acknowledges that the Government worked hard to preserve the ODA budget during economically challenging times, but it is now time to make good on its promises.

Over the last decade, Ireland’s spend on ODA has consistently fallen despite improving economic circumstances. In 2017, it was at only 0.3% of GNI (0.36% GNI). The Government needs to urgently reverse this downward trend in Budget 2019.

Ireland’s reputation as a leader in international development and humanitarian action depends on it. An ambitious and well-resourced aid programme is vital if the Government is to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, as captured in its own Global Ireland initiative.

The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence continues to demonstrate strong cross party support for the importance of restoring Ireland’s ODA budget. It also unanimously and unequivocally calls for a multiannual plan for the aid budget to increase on an incremental, phased basis to allow planning and impact, with the Government submitting the plan to the Committee on Budgetary Oversight for consideration. The Committee also recently commended the record of keeping Ireland’s aid programme 100% untied, and demanded that this focus on alleviating poverty, promoting and respecting human rights, and meeting the challenges of climate change is maintained.

We therefore ask the Irish Government to:

• Fully implement the commitment to reach 0.7% by 2025 by publishing a roadmap with year-on-year % increase, allowing for the surest path to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
• The first step on this path is to increase the ODA spend by 0.05% (€147m) in Budget 2019, allowing us to move to a total of 0.41% of GNI (€854.0m).
• Protect the poverty-focused definition of ODA to ensure Ireland’s aid programme is not used for any other purpose than to alleviate poverty and promote respect for human rights, dignity and equality.

Read the full Dochas pre-budget submission paper HERE