MEP urges Taoiseach to set timescale for increase in overseas aid

The Government must set out a timescale to achieve the UN’s target of spending 0.7 per cent GDP on Official Development Assistance (ODA), according to Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes.

Speaking at the launch of the MEPs’ visions for the European Year for Development report, Mr Hayes said the Coalition had given a commitment in 2000 to reach the target of spending 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product on overseas assistance by 2007. The deadline was later deferred to 2015.

“Our ODA budget was slashed from over €900 million on an annualised basis in2008 to about €630 million now,” he said. “We’ve stopped the decline in the budget but it’s still down by the guts of a third.”

The latest Eurobarometer survey, released earlier this week, shows nearly three out of four Irish people think the Government should increase its ODA spending. It found 68 per cent of Irish people think developed countries should allocate more money to overseas aid.

The Government has allocated just over €600 million for overseas development aid in 2015.

“We gave a commitment to the world as Irish people in the year 2000 that we would reach the 0.7 per cent target and we were on our way to achieve that but 2008 happened and the world economy changed,” said Mr Hayes. “Now it’s about 0.4 per cent.”

He called on the Taoiseach to “unambiguously” lay out a plan for the Government to achieve the target set out by the UN under the Millennium Development Goals.

“Irish people expect us, no matter who’s in government, to set out a realistic time frame as to the number of years it’s going to take. It won’t happen overnight.”

Trafficking

Mairéad McGuinness, vice-president of the European Parliament, said European member states must address the issues of forced migration and human trafficking to ensure a safe and secure future for the union.

"There are thousands of people who risk life and limb leaving developing countries to try and come to the safety of Europe.

“We need to stop that awful traffic by making their lives better in their home territory. That’s the challenge and we have a really selfish interest in ensuring that happens.”

According to the UN refugee agency, 3,419 people died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2014.

Hans Zomer, director of Dóchas, the network of Ireland's overseas development NGOs, highlighted the importance of the 2015 sustainable development agenda following last week's terrorist attacks in Paris and this week's shootings in Belgium.

“In light of last week, clearly marginalisation of young people in our own countries and in developing countries is a huge risk to all of us,” he said.

“It would be a mistake if now in our response to a very real drama we emphasise short term security over longer term human security.”