Pre-Budget Submission 2021
Ireland has a long and proud history of standing in solidarity with the poorest and most vulnerable people across the globe, and the quality of its international development assistance is respected globally. Its leadership is needed now more than ever in response to COVID-19. As the World Health Organisation reminds us: unless we defeat this virus everywhere we will defeat it nowhere.
In Budget 2021, we urge the Irish Government to match the scale of global need with an ambitious financial commitment. Now is the time for Ireland to harness the collective multilateral effort towards ‘building back better,’ as the world grapples with the enormous health, economic and social consequences of the virus, along with the ever-increasing effects of climate change and gender inequality. As Ireland takes its seat on the Security Council in 2021, we also know that its leadership, voice and actions in support of peace, is needed more than ever. Having a principled, high quality international development programme will be critical to influence change on the world stage.