OECD confirms increase in Ireland’s Official Development Assistance in 2022

Press release

The Development Assistance Committee of the OECD has today released the preliminary Official Development Assistance (ODA) statistics for 2022. They confirm that Ireland’s total ODA increased to €2.33 billion, representing 0.64% of GNP.

The figures include eligible first-year costs associated with the provision of services for Ukrainian refugees in Ireland. Ireland did not source any of these costs from the Government’s allocation for ODA in 2022. Excluding the costs relating to Ukrainian refugees, the figure for Ireland’s 2022 ODA is €1.446 billion, representing 0.4% of GNP. This is an increase on the 0.3% of GNP achieved in 2021, as a result of an increase in the allocation for ODA, costs for the increased number of people seeking international protection in Ireland, not from Ukraine, and an increase in Ireland’s share of the EU development cooperation budget.

Today’s OECD press release is available at: Foreign aid surges due to spending on refugees and aid for Ukraine - OECD

Commenting on the statistics, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, TD, stated:

“I welcome the publication of these ODA figures by the OECD.  They confirm Ireland’s continuing commitment to the fight to end global poverty, and, in parallel, the Irish people’s generosity in welcoming over 70,000 refugees from the illegal war in Ukraine.  The Government is committed to increasing our development assistance so that Ireland can provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to meet unprecedented need across the world and make a real contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.  We are also firmly committed to increasing our international climate finance with a strong focus on adaptation by some of the poorest communities in the world.”

The Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Sean Fleming, TD, added:

“The Government is strongly committed to ensuring our development assistance is directed to those most in need across the world.  I have just returned from a week in Africa, visiting Malawi and Zambia to witness the impact of the Irish Aid programme.  I saw for myself that Ireland’s assistance is reaching some of the poorest communities, giving hope and opportunity to families, with a strong focus on the empowerment of women and girls”.

ENDS

Press Office

12 April 2023

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