The Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power T.D., has welcomed the findings of a newly published interim report by the Public Accounts Committee on Irish Aid expenditure. The examination by the Committee, which included visits to Irish Aid programmes in Zambia and South Africa, found that sufficient structures are in place to safeguard public funds allocated to aid.  The Committee also found that the Government is getting value for money from the significant levels of spending on overseas aid.  

Welcoming the report, Minister Power said:

“This report confirms that Irish taxpayers are getting value for money from our overseas development programme.  The Public Accounts Committee has found that the structures are in place to protect public funds and that the potential for fraud is minimised. The report also recognises the difference that Irish Aid is making in improving the lives of some of the poorest people in the world and has endorsed our approach which is to work on a long-term basis with the Governments of developing countries, as well as NGOs and international organisations.

I will be closely studying the useful and interesting recommendations, including on improving systems in recipient countries and ways in which we might further engage Ireland’s NGOs and missionaries with the programme.” 

Note for editors:

The interim report, which was presented by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Bernard Allen TD, to the Dáil, examined aid channelled through partner country governments, audit and evaluation systems, risk, capacity in developing countries, support provided for the work of Irish NGOs and missionary organisations, the impacts and the future direction of the Irish aid programme.

The interim report on Irish Aid is available on-line at www.oireachtas.ie.   

Spending on overseas development assistance reached €814m last year and this year the Government will spend 0.54% of GNP on ODA, making Ireland one of the most significant donors in per capita terms in the EU.

Of the Irish Aid budget approximately 65% is delivered bilaterally through our Embassies, and other partners such as NGOs. One third is delivered through the multilateral system (EU and UN agencies).