Increase our aid budget, create a better world

The current Government has committed to spending 0.7 percent of national income on overseas development assistance (ODA) by 2030. Now, in the run-up to General Election 2020, we are calling on the new government to reach this target five years earlier.

Reaching this target sooner rather than later is vital if Ireland wants to maintain its positive reputation as a member of the global donor community and deliver on the ambition of the State’s ODA plan A Better World.

In Budget 2020, €837 million was pledged to development aid – an increase of some €21 million on the previous budget. The 2020 funding represented around 0.41 percent of national income (Gross National Income, or GNI, is an improved measure of domestic economic activity), leaving Ireland a long way off its target.

Any increase in development aid should be accompanied by a roadmap and timelines setting out the annual increases to reach the 0.7 percent figure. As well as quantity, the quality of aid is key, and Ireland has been recognised on the international stage as a donor that provides effective aid to tackle poverty and reduce vulnerability.

We are asking the next government to:

• Increase our development aid budget to 0.7% of national income by 2025