Ireland

ODA Spending

How much ODA does Ireland contribute?

How is Ireland's ODA changing?

How is Ireland's ODA allocated?

As a smaller economy, Ireland works to create an impact largely through EU institutions or larger multilaterals, and has historically seen multilaterals as an effective way to channel ODA.

Bilateral Spending

Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, Uganda, Zambia, Viet Nam, and Sierra Leone are part of Irish Aid's nine priority countries.

Multilateral Spending and Commitments

What is the future of Ireland's ODA?

Politics & Priorities

What is the current state of Ireland's politics?

Ireland has a multi-party system dominated by a few key parties. Fianna Fáil, a centrist to center-right party, emphasizes Irish nationalism, economic development, and social conservatism. Fine Gael, another center-right party, focuses on pro-business policies, European integration, and public service reform. Sinn Féin, a left-wing party sometimes classified as populist or nationalist, advocates for 'critical engagement' with the EU, Irish reunification, social equality, and progressive policies. The Labour Party, a center-left party, promotes social democracy, workers' rights, and welfare reform. The Green Party focuses on environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and climate action. These main parties form coalitions to govern, as no single party typically secures a majority in the Irish parliament.

Who is responsible for allocating ODA?

Irish Aid is the Irish government's program for overseas development and is managed by the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for policy shaping and implementation Irish Aid synthesizes proposals from CSOs and submits these to the Department of Finance for approval and negotiation across departments.

What are Ireland's development priorities?

In February 2019, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and former Tánaiste Simon Coveney launched ‘A Better World: Ireland’s Policy for International Development’. A Better World Policy is the Irish government’s policy for international development. The policy highlights four key areas of focus:

1. Humanitarian need;
2. Gender equality;
3. Climate action; and
4. Strengthened governance.

Ireland’s development cooperation focuses on LDCs, particularly in "Sub-Saharan Africa". Ireland has nine partner countries: Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Vietnam.

Budget

There is an overall positive appreciation of Ireland’s international development spending among government ministers and members of parliament, as well as the general public. Ireland prides itself on its solidarity with the international community. As a country that has experienced colonialism, internal conflict, hunger and humanitarian issues, the Irish government sees it as its responsibility to help those now facing similar issues. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described Ireland as ‘a small country that dares to think big’. The CEO of Dochas, an umbrella organization for Irish CSOs, urged Ireland to play a leadership role in the international development space to increase action towards the achievement of the SDGs and to help those furthest behind.

Many of the strategy documents published by the government of Ireland include a foreword from the President, suggesting a whole of government approach to allocating ODA.

Budget Cycle

• Before July: NGOs try to influence the budget estimate by submitting their plans to Irish Aid. Irish Aid will synthesize these submissions and centrally bring the plans to the negotiations in July-September.
• July: The government departments submit budget proposals.
• July-September: There are preliminary discussions on the proposals within the Department of Finance. The departments negotiate and reach a decision together with the Department of Finance.
• October: The budget proposal is finalized and announced.