Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Joe Costello is seeking to stabilise the funding for overseas development aid (ODA) in next month's budget for the first time since 2008.

The ODA budget has decreased every year since 2008 both in percentage terms and in real terms. From a high of 0.59 per cent of gross national product in 2008, when €920 million was allotted, it has fallen each year to 0.47 per cent, or €628 million in 2012, with a further small decrease this year.

While the Government is unlikely to begin to increase the percentage figure this year, a rise in GNP may mean that the actual amount will remain the same as last year, the first time in five years it has not fallen.

However, Irish aid agencies have argued in recent months for the Government to consider an increase.

The pre-budget submission from Dóchas, which represents 51 non-governmental organisations in Ireland, called on the Government to present an urgent plan on how it intends to deliver on its promise of achieving the UN Millennium Goal Target of 0.7 per cent of GNP for overseas aid.

Mr Costello yesterday released Irish Aid's annual report for 2012, with the programme winning praise from NGOs organisations for its work in nine partner countries – mostly in sub-Saharan Africa – and other countries where it has been involved in civil society schemes; emergency and recovery work; health, HIV and Aids work; and governance.

The work captured in the report predates the crisis in Syria. Mr Costello said that a third of the entire population of the country has been displaced and pointed to the work and response of Irish NGOs on the ground there at the moment.

Policy formulation
In terms of policy formulation, Mr Costello said that he and the Irish Aid programme was putting a particular focus on "fragile states" and said Irish Aid had always put emphasis on countries where there was the greatest need, which was typically sub-Saharan Africa.

“I am very anxious to shift the focus from donor recipient [status] to partnership. At the cutting edge are the fragile states, those that are subject to catastrophe and those that are coming out of conflict,” he said.

He said another area being developed was addressing the problem of child soldiers, child labour and child trafficking.