I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 214 together.
The Government's international development programme, Irish Aid, is dedicated to providing support to countries and communities experiencing the most acute levels of need, including those located in some of the world’s poorest or most climate-vulnerable regions, as well as populations affected by conflict.
We provide core grants to trusted multilateral partners with whom we share key development and humanitarian priorities. These contributions include funding to United Nations agencies, the World Bank, other multilateral organisations, and Ireland’s share of the European Union’s development cooperation budget. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided €128.3 million in core support to multilateral organisations in 2022, €143.9 million in 2023, and €145.8 million in 2024. The Irish Aid Annual Reports contain detailed breakdowns of Ireland’s total funding to each multilateral organisation for 2022, 2023, and 2024, encompassing both core and earmarked contributions.
Given the diversity of sectors, operating environments, and geographic contexts in which grant recipients work, the Department does not apply standardised thresholds for administrative or overhead costs when awarding grants. Nor does it maintain a schedule of indirect cost-recovery rates or equivalent metrics for core contributions. However, many multilateral organisations publish annual “Core Resources” reports, alongside their general annual reports, which set out how core funding is utilised to support their mandates. For instance, UNICEF’s www.unicef.org/reports/core-resources-annual-report-2024 is publicly accessible.
Core contributions provide trusted multilateral organisations with essential flexibility and predictability, enabling them to prioritise their activities effectively. They also provide a stable foundation that allows organisations to leverage additional earmarked funding to achieve targeted outcomes for those most in need. Ireland’s core funding is therefore integral to promoting progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring continuity of operations, even in situations of crisis or disruption.
To ensure robust internal and external oversight, the Department’s independent Evaluation and Audit Unit conducts objective assessments, provides assurance and advice relating to the delivery of Ireland’s international development programme, and offers insights into corporate performance, governance, and risk management. The work of the Evaluation and Audit Unit is subject to validation by an external Audit Committee.
Details of ODA-eligible core support funding provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the years 2022–2024 are set out in tabular form below. These figures exclude core contributions made by other Government Departments, including Ireland’s share of the EU Development Cooperation Budget, as well as project-specific or earmarked funding, which does not constitute core funding.
|
Organisation
|
2022
(€ ‘000s)
|
2023
(€ ‘000s)
|
2024
(€ ‘000s)
|
|
African Tax Administration Forum
|
|
400
|
400
|
|
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
|
11,500
|
14,500
|
14,000
|
|
CGIAR Fund
|
4,667
|
5,875
|
5,000
|
|
Convention to Combat Desertification
|
27
|
33
|
33
|
|
European Commission - EDF
|
23,235
|
16,658
|
11,232
|
|
European Investment Bank - EDF
|
2,820
|
2,820
|
2,820
|
|
GAVI Alliance
|
3,000
|
4,000
|
4,000
|
|
International Atomic Energy Agency
|
163
|
|
203
|
|
International Fund for Agricultural Development
|
4,167
|
4,167
|
4,166
|
|
International Organisation for Migration
|
1,201
|
1,317
|
1,621
|
|
International Trade Centre
|
1,000
|
1,000
|
1,000
|
|
Joint Sustainable Development Goals Fund
|
|
2,000
|
500
|
|
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
|
|
|
500
|
|
OSCE Organisation for Security and Co-operation
|
|
772
|
|
|
The Global Fund to Fight Aids T.B. & Malaria
|
17,500
|
21,750
|
21,500
|
|
UN WOMEN
|
2,000
|
2,000
|
2,000
|
|
UNAIDS
|
2,500
|
2,500
|
2,500
|
|
United Nations Regular Budget
|
5,861
|
6,175
|
6,620
|
|
United Nations Children's Fund
|
7,200
|
7,700
|
7,700
|
|
United Nations Department of Peace Operations
|
4,501
|
3,374
|
1,089
|
|
United Nations Development Coordination Office
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
United Nations Development Programme
|
7,841
|
8,250
|
7,750
|
|
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
|
380
|
422
|
578
|
|
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
|
27
|
27
|
36
|
|
United Nations Office of Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs
|
5,500
|
4,750
|
5,500
|
|
United Nations Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
|
10,500
|
11,500
|
12,500
|
|
United Nations Peacebuilding Fund
|
2,800
|
|
4,250
|
|
United Nations Population Fund
|
4,000
|
4,500
|
4,500
|
|
United Nations Volunteers
|
1,100
|
|
|
|
UN-Multi Partner Trust Fund Office
|
|
500
|
1,400
|
|
UNRWA
|
|
12,000
|
20,000
|
|
World Health Organisation
|
4,500
|
3,000
|
2,000
|
|
World Trade Organisation Advisory Law Centre
|
350
|
400
|
400
|
|
Grand Total
|
128,339
|
143,890
|
145,798
|
