IDEA Responds to Government Decision to Abandon Aid Target

On Sunday 2nd March, Minister Joe Costello announced in an interview with the Sunday Business Post that the Government has admitted it does not intend to fulfill Ireland's commitments to donate 0.7% of our Gross National Income towards ODA (Overseas Development Assistance) by 2015. The commitment was first made in 2000 by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern when Ireland was securing a place on the UN Security Council.

IDEA says, “Aid not only supports the poorest people in the world, it supports long-term development and helps to break the cycles that keep people and communities poor. It is also about educating people in Ireland about what we can do to tackle the root causes of injustice and inequality. Abandoning our aid commitments risks undoing all the progress that has been made to create a more just and sustainable future for everyone.”

Ireland has historically been seen as a leader on the global stage in the area of overseas development. Recent public opinion surveys show that 83% of EU citizens support ODA and want their governments to keep their aid promises. IDEA is calling on the Government to sustain Ireland’s positive international status and outline a new timeline for reaching the 0.7% target.

May 12, 2025
IDEA to Honour President Higgins with Inaugural Global Voice for Humanity Award at Annual Conference
May 2, 2025
Dates: Thursday 10 July,10.00am-6.00pm and Friday 11 July, 10.00am-3.00pm Location: An Tairseach, Wicklow IDEA is thrilled to open applications for our second iteration of the IDEA's Lab. In this first of its kind residential Lab, we will create space where members can bring their ideas for projects and try out new planning and design methods. Participants will have the opportunity to work on an idea from scratch to (almost) finish with the support of expert trainers and learn through group exchange in a welcoming and inspiring setting. Participants will come out of the training with: An early project design proofed, tested and built through group feedback, iteration, trialling and support. New approaches in designing innovative projects they can apply to their workplace Headspace and time to work on the design of an innovative project A chance to actively learn through group exchange and strengthen the sense of an innovative community of practice in Ireland How? Please email anya@ideaonline.ie to request an application form. Requesting an application form does not commit you to applying. The deadline for returning application form (including organisational sign off letter) is Friday 23 May, midnight . You will find further details in the application form. Participants must register as a team of 2min.- 4 max. Participants without a team member will be asked to pair up with other individual participants or find a partner outside their organisation. Cost : This training is funded by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs and offered at a reduced rate. This training is only available to IDEA members. Non-IDEA members can participant as part of an IDEA member team. Fees for members of IDEA is €50  Irish Aid is the Government’s overseas development programme which supports partners working in some of the world’s poorest countries. Irish Aid also supports global citizenship education in Ireland to encourage learning and public engagement with global issues the ideas, opinions and comments expressed in this training are entirely the responsibility of its author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect DFA policy. Timeline: Applications open: 07 May Applications close: 23 May, midnight Preparatory session with trainer (30min, online): Mid June Lab arrival: Where possible we advise arrival on Wednesday 09 July in the evening. Accommodation and food will be provided from 09 July, 5.00pm - 11 July, 3.00pm Lab: 10 July,10.00am-6.00pm. 11 July, 10.00am-3.00pm Please don’t hesitate to get in touch at anya@ideaonline.ie if any of the above pose a barrier to your participation, or if you have any other questions.
April 29, 2025
Wednesday 18 June, 10.00am - 4.00pm Wynn’s Hotel, Abbey Street Lower, Dublin 1