105. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department is aware of any plans by the EU to reduce the overseas aid budget; the engagement her Department has had with the EU on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59323/26]

The European Union and its Member States are the world’s most significant development and humanitarian actor. The EU’s main current financial instrument for external action and international cooperation is the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), which was adopted for the EU’s 2021 to 2027 Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF). It was assigned an overall budget allocation of approximately €79.5 billion.

Negotiations for the next MFF, for the period 2028 to 2034 are ongoing. This includes negotiation of the next EU external action budget, the Global Europe Instrument, which will guide EU support for development cooperation and humanitarian assistance, as well as other areas of external action support.

As Presidency of the Council of the European Union, negotiation of the MFF is a central priority for Ireland. Throughout the Presidency, we are committed to being an honest broker; to working constructively with all EU Member States, institutions and stakeholders to agree workable compromises for an EU budget that addresses the many needs and demands of the Union, in a fiscally responsible manner. Financing for official development assistance, through the Global Europe Instrument, is an important aspect of that work.

The overall volume and the balance of priorities within the MFF are some of the key issues for the Irish Presidency to address over the next number of months. Agreement will require compromise by all. Given the early stage of our role, and the phase at which negotiations are at, it is too early to comment on the final overall volume. Ultimately, this will be concluded at the final stages of negotiations by the European Council.