Annual Report 2020
In 2020, the Government invested over €867 million on Ireland’s overseas aid programme. The bulk of this funding - €545 million – was managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The remaining €322 million was allocated through other government departments, mainly the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Finance, and through Ireland’s contribution to the EU Development Co-operation Budget.
Ireland provides untied aid to support the most vulnerable communities and contribute to the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals. We work closely with selected partners, including governments, international organisations, civil society and the private sector, to ensure lasting improvements in the lives of communities living in poverty.
We are accountable to the Oireachtas (Ireland’s parliament) and, ultimately, to the Irish people. Our programme is regularly externally audited and evaluated to ensure it achieves effectiveness and value for money.
2020 humanitarian response in numbers:
- €192 million of humanitarian assistance provided
- 25 humanitarian experts deployed from Ireland's Rapid Response Corps to support UN crisis operations in 15 countries
- 90% of Ireland's humanitarian funding went to the world's most severe crises
- 218 metric tonnes of emergency relief supplies
- Funding approved in less than 20 hours on average for 32 sudden onset crises
- 82% of Ireland's humanitarian funding contributed to gender equality
Whole-of-Government programme
Irish Aid is a whole-of-Government programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Contributions to Ireland’s ODA are made from a range of Departments. These include Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Finance, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Department of Health, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.