Kitt announces major package to strengthen Irish development non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Kitt announces major package to strengthen Irish development
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights, Tom Kitt T.D., today announced a significant package of new Government support for Irish non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in the areas of relief and development.
The Minister of State indicated that more than 360,000 will be provided to Dóchas (the Irish Association for Non-Governmental Development Organisations) over a three year period.
In announcing today's package the Minister of State said;
"Ireland Aid, the Government's official development assistance programme, is committed to continuing to enhance the relationship, which has been developed over many years, with Irish development NGOs and missionary organisations. Today's announcement is a further important step in formalising and cementing this important partnership".
Minister of State Kitt went on to say that;
"As the umbrella body for Irish development NGOs, Dóchas will be assisted in building further its organisational capacity, particularly its human capacity, over the coming three year period. The Memorandum of Understanding which has been entered into with Dóchas will put in place new mechanisms by which the partnership is to be strengthened. These will include annual consultations; a provision for more frequent meetings on specific issues; as well as the provision of financial support".
The Minister of State concluded by saying;
"This initiative is a concrete and positive response to the Report of the Ireland Aid Review Committee, which, inter alia, recommended that a significant increase in the overall level of financial support be made available to NGOs and that Ireland Aid should work with NGOs to develop their capacity to absorb additional funding and to enhance the impact of their programmes. Development NGOs and missionary groups received over 40 million from the Government in 2001 for their activities and this will increase further in 2002".
