Minister Conor Lenihan announces €116 million Irish Aid package of support for Trócaire

Conor Lenihan TD, Minister of State for Irish Aid and Human Rights, has announced a new 5 year agreement with aid agency Trócaire. Irish Aid funding to Trócaire will more than double, from over €52.7 million (for the period 2002 to 2006) to €116 million over the 5 year period from 2007 to 2011.

Minister Lenihan made the announcement in Limerick, on a visit to the future headquarters of Irish Aid. Making the announcement, Minister Lenihan said:

“This agreement marks a new and important stage in the relationship between Irish Aid and Trócaire. The scale of the agreement is indicative of the importance that Irish Aid attaches to the work of Trócaire.

“Trócaire plays a key role in tackling the root causes of poverty, advocating for social justice and raising awareness of development issues in Ireland and internationally. Their approach enables thousands of vulnerable and marginalised people throughout the world to participate more fully in their own development.

“This new round of Irish Aid funding will allow Trócaire and its partners to build on its existing long-term development programmes.”

Minister Lenihan was joined in Limerick for the announcement by the Director of Trócaire, Justin Kilcullen. Mr Kilcullen said:

“This generous funding is extremely important to Trócaire and I am very grateful to Irish Aid. In the past three years the government has doubled its annual funding to Trócaire and its new commitment to significant further funding means we can expand our work with the most vulnerable people overseas, plan more effectively and have far greater financial security.”

Irish Aid supports the work of Trócaire and its partner organisations in over 35 countries throughout Asia, Africa, Central and South America and the Middle East.

Note to editors:

The White Paper on Irish Aid commits the Government to increasing the level of funding available for NGOs as the aid programme expands. Funding to NGOs and other civil society groups, provided through Irish Aid’s Civil Society Section, will increase from €98 million in 2006 to €121 million in 2007.

Irish Aid is due to decentralise to Limerick during the second half of this year. An advance party, involving approximately 50 staff, will decentralise to interim accommodation in the city in late May.

ENDS +++

18 April 2007

Press Office