Minister Richmond launches Irish Aid Annual Report 2024 showing Ireland’s impact in over 100 countries
- Published on: 19 September 2025
- Last updated on: 27 September 2025
Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, today launched the Irish Aid Annual Report 2024, which shows Ireland’s impact supporting marginalised and at risk communities in over 100 countries around the world.
2024 marked 50 years of Ireland’s ODA programme, Irish Aid, which tackles poverty, hunger and humanitarian need around the world. In a world faced with many challenges, Ireland continues to respond to many of the world’s worst crises, including conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, as well as providing long-term development assistance to people living in extreme poverty.
Ireland’s ODA in 2024 amounted to a total of €2.35 billion, representing 0.56% of Gross National Income (GNI). With first-year Ukrainian refugee costs excluded, the percentage of GNI was 0.41%, an increase from 0.38% in 2023. This includes funding for development and humanitarian programmes around the world.
Ireland provides this support by working with governments, UN agencies and NGO partners. In 2024, Ireland’s support for NGOs alone benefited over 8 million people in more than 100 countries.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris remarked:
"The world is facing turbulent and uncertain times. From humanitarian disaster zones to places where people struggle to access food, education or healthcare, Ireland’s support makes a transformative difference to people’s lives.
"I am proud that Ireland is continuing to invest in the building of a better world. The work of Irish Aid does more than transform lives around the world, it is the embodiment of who we are and how we view the world. Its work is a source of enormous pride."
At the launch today, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond said:
"Ireland is ranked in the top 20 donors globally in terms of humanitarian support and has responded quickly with funding to major crises in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere.
"This report highlights the vital work Irish Aid carries out alongside its partners, including Ireland’s incredible NGOs. I have been fortunate to see first-hand the life-changing impact Ireland has.
"The world has changed utterly since Irish Aid was founded in 1974, but the values that underpin our work are stronger and more important today than ever.”
Notes
Irish Aid supports development and humanitarian programmes in over 100 countries around the world. Ireland’s ODA amount in 2024 was €2.35 billion representing 0.56% of Gross National Income (GNI). With first-year Ukrainian refugee costs excluded, the percentage of GNI was 0.41%, an increase from 0.38% in 2023.
The five countries which received the highest amounts of bilateral ODA support from Ireland in 2024 were: Ethiopia (€40.9 million), Ukraine (€33.9 million), Palestine (€30.5 million includes support to the Palestinian people across the Middle East region), Mozambique (€26.1 million) and Tanzania (€26 million).
Irish Aid is a whole-of-government programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which means that Ireland’s ODA is funded and managed by a number of government departments and agencies. This includes the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, the Department of Finance, and the HSE.