29 Ireland “We do not need to make further pledges if we just deliver on what we have already promised. The commitments and the know-how are already there. It is the political will and action that will make the difference.” An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, September 2008 In 2009, Government cuts meant that Ireland’s ODA was €203m less than in 2008, undermining recent progress towards the national commitment to reach 0.7% of GNI by 2012. At 0.59% (€921m) in 2008, Ireland was on track towards meeting its own interim target of 0.6% by 2010. However, devastating budget cuts in 2009 brought Irish ODA down to 0.54% of GNI (€718m), ensuring that Ireland would miss its 0.6% target for 2010. In December 2009, the government cut a further €25m from the 2010 aid budget. In addition, it postponed its target date for achieving 0.7%, this time from 2012 to 2015, with a conservatively estimated loss of €750m in ODA between now and 2015. The Government has suggested that it intends to stabilise ODA at around 0.52% of GNI in 2010. On current projections, it is likely to achieve that. • Aid quality Gender equality continues to be enunciated as a key issue for Ireland’s development programme. Irish Aid has a gender policy and strategy, published in 2004. A light reflection was conducted in late 2009, with some limited civil society input, in place of a policy evaluation due in 2007. This will inform an action plan, expected in 2010. Irish Aid’s annual report shows only a small percentage of spending reported as gender expenditure, but the real spending is known to be higher. Ireland has begun using the OECD DAC gender marker, which is due to be integrated into planning from 2010. In terms of democratic ownership, Irish Aid has recognised the importance of involving Civil Society Organisations, parliaments and other stakeholders in development. There is genuine openness to dialogue with Irish CSOs and good informal contact, if less by way of formalised dialogue structures. Internationally, Irish Aid has been taking the lead on the OECD’s task team on mutual accountability. Ireland has a relatively good record on predictability, although this has been significantly undermined by the major ODA cuts in 2009. Ireland’s aid is untied and it is reported as the only EU donor that channels more than half of its aid through programmatic approaches, although its percentage of ODA going through General Budget Support is low, at 3.7% of bilateral aid in 2008. Ireland’s position on economic policy conditions imposed through multi-donor arrangements is unclear: some clarification is foreseen in an anticipated debt policy and Ireland’s action plan on the Accra Agenda for Action. Ireland reports very little climate finance as ODA through the OECD (1.51% in 2008). Regarding additionality, the development minister stated in November 2009 that, “as far as possible […] funding commitments arising from the current climate change negotiations should be separate and additional to existing ODA commitments.” However, in pledging €100m for fast start climate finance in December, An Taoiseach (the Prime Minister) said the Government had made no decision on whether it will be additional to ODA commitments. The position remains unclear. Irish NGOs call on their government to: • Set out annual binding targets to reach Ireland’s commitment of spending a minimum 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2015 at the latest, and legislate for that minimum 0.7% contribution. • Ensure adequate mechanisms are put in place across Government for dialogue with Irish and Southern CSOs on Ireland’s development- related policies and strategies, and develop transparent systems to ensure national CSOs can participate meaningfully in development processes. • Clearly set out Ireland’s position on policy conditionality, promote an end to the practice by the IFIs, and promote the development of internationally binding, fair and responsible financing standards. • Officially commit to ensuring that Ireland’s contributions to climate finance are entirely additional to its commitment of a minimum 0.7% ODA/GNI. Will Ireland achieve the 2010 target according to the budgeted aid levels? No, and it has now dropped that target Will Ireland achieve the 2010 target without inflating its aid? No Ireland's genuine and inflated aid G r e e c e / I r e l a n d Organisations consulted: Christian Aid - Ireland, Concern Worldwide, Debt and Development Coalition Ireland, Oxfam Ireland, Trócaire, Voluntary Services Overseas (Ireland), World Vision Ireland 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1 000 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 € m 2 0 0 7 c o n s t a n t Genuine aid Refugees in donor country Student costs Debt relief 2010 new government projection, 0.52% 2010, 0.6% target