Sorca Clarke
Question:189. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Irish Aid monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of its funded projects. [62976/25]
View answerTuesday, 18 November 2025
Questions (189)
Written answers
The Government delivers our international development programme through several channels: our Embassies in developing countries, civil society and humanitarian organisations, and multilateral organisations, including the United Nations and its agencies. The key criterion to determine which channel to use is the ability of the partner to reach those in need in the most effective way possible. High standards of accountability ensure that the aid provided reaches its intended beneficiaries, making a real difference in the lives of those furthest behind.
Robust systems are in place on the traceability of Ireland’s funding to multilateral agencies. We rely on strong internal and external oversight functions, which we and other international donors have insisted on for multilateral agencies. Detailed reports and recommendations on the use of funding are presented to us at Executive Board level and committees in the EU context. Ireland also engages actively on the Executive Boards of UN agencies.
Ireland’s involvement in and support of the Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN) ensures additional oversight and independent assessments of multilateral organisations. We encourage multilateral agencies to utilise the findings of MOPAN assessments as a means for improvement, with a view to increasing effectiveness.
We also implement detailed accountability mechanisms to monitor funding to international development NGOs to implement programmes and projects in countries which are eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA). The OECD has commended Ireland for the quality of our partnerships with international development NGOs.
Within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the independent Evaluation and Audit Unit supports, protects, and enhances the delivery of the Department’s overall mission by providing objective assessment, assurance, advice, and insight regarding corporate performance, governance, risk management, and internal control, including through evaluation.
Evaluations in the Department are undertaken in three ways: centralised evaluations undertaken or commissioned directly by the Evaluation and Audit Unit; spending reviews, in line with the Public Spending Code; and decentralised evaluations commissioned and managed by Business Units and Missions.
In addition to the Department's Evaluation Policy (2022), the Evaluation and Audit Unit’s Evaluation and Audit Strategy 2024–2027 guides the work of the Evaluation and Audit Unit.