QUESTION




REPLY

Question No. 167
Parliamentary Question - Oireachtas

To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the cost of reaching the 0.7% ODA and GNP target from its current base of approximately 0.3% in incremental steps, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Darragh O'Brien.
* For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 29th November, 2017.
Ref No: 50951/17

REPLY
(Minister of State, Mr. Ciarán Cannon T.D.)
The Government is strongly committed to Ireland’s overseas development cooperation programme and to its place at the heart of our foreign policy. Our policy for International Development, “One World, One Future”, clearly articulates our commitment to the UN target of providing 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) in Official Development Assistance (ODA), as economic conditions allow. 
The current Programme for Government sets out our ambition to make progress towards the UN target as resources permit.   This progress needs to be made in a sustainable and manageable way, building on Ireland's recognised role as a reliable and effective partner in contributing to ending global poverty and hunger, and in providing humanitarian assistance.  In order to prepare for greater progress towards the UN target, a new White Paper on Irish overseas development assistance will be produced next year.
For 2018, the Government has allocated just over €707 million for ODA, the third consecutive year ODA has increased.  Based on current estimates, it is anticipated this level of allocation to deliver an ODA / GNI target of approximately 0.3%.   
In line with EU member states, we remain committed to making incremental, sustainable and manageable progress towards achieving the 0.7% UN target by 2030, over the period of the Sustainable Development Goals. Reaching this target will involve significant increases to the ODA budget and requires careful planning and consultation with other Government Departments and stakeholders, which will be informed by the White Paper process next year.
The below table sets out a sample stepped scenario for meeting the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030, with interim targets of 0.4% in 2022, 0.5% in 2026 and 0.6% in 2028.  Year   Total ODA
 In € millions  ODA as a % of Projected GNP  
2018         707.10  0.30%
2020         906.37  0.35%
2022     1,109.29  0.40%
2024     1,323.96  0.45%
2026     1,560.65  0.50%
2028     1,986.83  0.60%
2030     2,459.13  0.70%







We have used forecasts for Gross National Product (GNP) as a proxy for GNI in the above calculations because GNI is only calculated retrospectively.  In practice the difference between the two tends to be minimal.    

QUESTION　



　
REPLY　



Question No. 227　
Parliamentary Question - Oireachtas　
　
To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his meeting with Secretary of State Boris Johnson on 17 November 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter.　
- Stephen S. Donnelly.　
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 28th November, 2017.　
Ref No: 50050/17　

Question No. 238 　
Parliamentary Question - Oireachtas　　
　　
To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his recent meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson; and if he will make a statement on the matter.　　
- Darragh O'Brien.　　
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 28th November, 2017.　　
Ref No: 50370/17　


REPLY　


I propose to take questions no. 227 and 238 together.　
I welcomed UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson last week for his first visit to Ireland since being appointed to the position in July 2016. I also routinely meet the Foreign Secretary at meetings of Foreign Ministers in an EU context and internationally.　
Although the Foreign Secretary does not have lead responsibility for Brexit, the meeting provided a timely opportunity to exchange views on the ongoing Brexit negotiations. On Brexit, I underlined the need to ensure sufficient progress is made on all three exit issues in Phase 1 before discussions on a future relationship and any transitional arrangements can commence. I emphasised our desire for progress on Irish specific issues and on the need for the UK to provide strong political assurances and tangible commitments that recognise the unique circumstances of the island of Ireland. Ireland’s commitment to protecting the Good Friday Agreement, in all its parts, and the gains of the peace process remains clear. In this regard, I repeated the Government’s position that flexible and imaginative solutions are required.　
I also reiterated that Ireland is fully behind Michel Barnier and his team and that any decision on sufficient progress will be made together by the EU 27 Heads of State and Government.　
Ideas on a number of areas of mutual foreign policy interest, including the Middle East and Africa, were also shared. In addition, discussions focused on the strong British-Irish bilateral relationship and how this relationship can be strengthened into the future. 　
Ireland and the UK share many areas of mutual interest and concern and we will continue to work together on areas of commonality.

QUESTION　


To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied) as announced in November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) Gaeilscoil Ros Eo, Rush, Co Dublin.　
REPLY　


　
　
As the Deputy may be aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.　
Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school and all parties are working to advance this process as expeditiously as possible. 　
While I am not in a position to provide further information at this time, I can assure the Deputy that the school patron will be informed of the proposed location as soon as it is possible to do so.　

QUESTION　



To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding progress on a new school building project for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. (Details Supplied) St. Joseph's Secondary School, Rush, Co Dublin.　

REPLY　


　
　
The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers was included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme.　
The delivery of the building project necessitates the acquisition of a suitable site and my Department is in ongoing liaison with the Patron of the school in the matter.