Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 November 2025
197. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department is aware of any instances where official development aid funding from Ireland has been misappropriated by partner organisations during the period 2020 to date in 2025; if so, to provide details of same; the efforts made to recoup such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63778/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's international development programme is delivered through Irish Embassies in developing countries, through civil society and humanitarian organisations, and through multilateral organisations, including the United Nations.
Under the Department’s Counter-Fraud Policy, and as required by the terms and conditions of grant agreements signed, our funding partners are required to report all incidences of fraud and suspicions of fraud immediately. Partners are required to provide the Department with ongoing reports on all investigations into potential fraud.
The table below set out details of incidences of misappropriation of ODA by partner organisations from 2020 to 2024. Any alleged cases reported in 2025 remain under investigation in order to establish whether any fraud has taken place.
Every effort is made to recover any funds lost through fraud. As the following tables demonstrate, almost all incidents of fraud by partner organisations investigated and closed from 2020 and 2024 were fully recovered.
|
Year |
Country |
No. of Frauds |
Misappropriated Amount |
Recovered Amount |
Unrecovered Amount |
|
|
|
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
2024 |
Bangladesh |
1 |
38 |
38 |
0 |
|
2024 |
Ethiopia |
1 |
8,115 |
8,115 |
0 |
|
2024 |
Kenya |
1 |
170 |
170 |
0 |
|
2024 |
Malawi |
1 |
187 |
187 |
0 |
|
2024 |
Uganda |
1 |
112 |
112 |
0 |
|
2024 |
Zimbabwe |
1 |
3,302 |
3,302 |
0 |
|
2023 |
Ireland |
1 |
240 |
240 |
0 |
|
2023 |
Kenya |
1 |
911 |
911 |
0 |
|
2023 |
Malawi |
2 |
12,912 |
12,912 |
0 |
|
2022 |
Liberia |
1 |
1,440 |
1,440 |
0 |
|
2022 |
Nepal |
1 |
238 |
238 |
0 |
|
2022 |
Sierra Leone |
1 |
100 |
100 |
0 |
|
2022 |
Uganda |
1 |
6,366 |
6,366 |
0 |
|
2021 |
Angola |
1 |
2,370 |
2,370 |
0 |
|
2021 |
CAR |
1 |
92 |
0 |
92 |
|
2021 |
DRC |
1 |
1,700 |
1,700 |
0 |
|
2021 |
Guinea-Bissau |
1 |
4,500 |
4,500 |
0 |
|
2021 |
Liberia |
2 |
90 |
0 |
90 |
|
2021 |
Malawi |
1 |
61,000 |
61,000 |
0 |
|
2021 |
Mozambique |
2 |
654 |
654 |
0 |
|
2021 |
Zambia |
1 |
15,000 |
15,000 |
0 |
|
2021 |
Zimbabwe |
2 |
20,450 |
20,450 |
0 |
|
2020 |
Burundi |
2 |
1,872 |
1,872 |
0 |
|
2020 |
Chad |
1 |
200 |
200 |
0 |
|
2020 |
Liberia |
1 |
127 |
127 |
0 |
|
2020 |
Malawi |
2 |
9,892 |
9,892 |
0 |
|
2020 |
South Sudan |
1 |
132 |
0 |
132 |
|
2020 |
Ethiopia |
1 |
126 |
126 |
0 |
|
2020 |
CAR |
1 |
754 |
754 |
0 |
