Faltering Irish aid budget a worry for the OECD

The OECD has expressed concern that Ireland is "faltering" in its progress toward reaching the United Nations target for overseas aid spending by 2007.

The organisation's development assistance committee has openly questioned whether the Government can fulfil its promise to reach the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNP. This follows the announcement in last week's Estimates that next year's allocation is to remain stalled at 0.41 per cent, or €399 million. "The committee was concerned that what Ireland has been able to achieve over recent years might be lost by a failure to reach the volume of aid targeted," said Mr Hunter McGill, of the OECD.

OECD officials also expressed the view that Ireland's aid programme was being hindered by a failure to set out programmed funding increases into the future.

On the subject of Irish aid to Uganda, Mr McGill said the committee appreciated the "candour" of Irish officials in discussing the opposition to spending in Uganda, which has been accused of corruption and human rights abuses. The Government decision to "step back" from direct budgetary support was considered "an appropriate step".