Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Darragh O’Brien TD has expressed disappointment that the Government has pushed its commitment to reach the UN 0.7% target for Overseas Development Aid (ODA) out to 2030.
Deputy O’Brien said, “I learned this morning at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade that Ireland has set a commitment to reach the target of 0.7% of GNP to ODA by 2030.
“The previous Government made a commitment to reach the 0.7% of GNP target for Overseas Development Aid by 2015 in their 2011 Programme for Government. This target was not achieved and now we have a target of 2030, which is fourteen years away.
“At present we are only at 0.36% and it is becoming increasingly clear that without a solid commitment and a clear vision as to how the Government propose to reach 0.7% of GNP this target will become meaningless and is in danger of becoming something that can be disregarded at will.
“Other countries have achieved this target, and I believe that Ireland can do so too. However, a clear path must be charted for how we are to achieve this. I am calling on the Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development to collaborate with the charity groups to put in place a multi-annual plan with clear targets and objectives outlining we can reach the 0.7% target before 2030 a matter of urgency. We need to be more ambitious in our approach to ODA.”
