The Irish Government’s official development aid (ODA) programme works on behalf of Irish people to address poverty, hunger, and inequality in some of the world’s poorest countries and is an integral part of Ireland’s foreign policy.
Ireland’s development cooperation programme aims to reduce poverty, hunger and humanitarian need, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. By supporting long term development and providing humanitarian assistance in over eighty countries, on behalf of the Irish people, we are helping to build better futures for some of the world’s poorest communities.
A Better World, Ireland’s policy for international development, provides the framework for Ireland’s expanding development cooperation programme in the decade ahead. It charts a clear way forward to achieve our ambition of a more equal, peaceful and sustainable world, shaping and protecting our stability, our prosperity, our shared interests and our common future.
Ireland’s international development priorities, as outlined in A Better World, are: Reducing Humanitarian Need, Climate Action, Gender Equality and Strengthening Governance. We focus on areas where Ireland has proven expertise and can make a real difference, including in conflict prevention and resolution, food systems and nutrition, private sector engagement, health, social protection and education.
Ireland is playing its part in addressing poverty, injustice and damage to our planet, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, while at all times, trying to focus our efforts on reaching those furthest behind first.
Ireland’s ODA funds are spent using a mix of funding approaches to support development programmes in our partner countries. We support the work of international organisations such as the United Nations agencies or World Bank, and the work of Irish, national and international non-governmental organisations. Irish Aid funding is also used to support emergency and humanitarian crises.
For 2023, the Government has provided a gross allocation to ODA of over €1.233 billion. In Budget 2022, €1.044 billion was allocated to ODA which was the first time the allocation reached over €1 billion. In 2021, the Government of Ireland invested more than €976 million in Official Development Assistance. The majority of this funding (€569 million) was overseen and managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs through the government’s international development programme. Funds are spent using a mix of funding approaches to support development programmes in our partner countries, the work of international organisations such as the UN or World Bank, and the work of Irish national and international non-governmental organisations.
You can find a detailed breakdown of Irish Aid’s spending in our Annual Report.
Firstly, we are accountable to the Irish people for how we manage and oversee Ireland’s official aid programme. The programme is also subject to the scrutiny of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and the Public Accounts Committee. To ensure that funds are well managed and targeted, we have stringent audit and evaluation systems in place both in Ireland and in our key partner countries. Regular audits and evaluations of all programmes are carried out by the Evaluation and Audit Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Visit the Irish Aid website for more information on Ireland’s official development assistance programme.