Ireland must increase overseas development funding in Budget 2026 -- Concern

The global funding cuts come as 700 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty -- 40 per cent living in conflict-affected or fragile settings. This is on track to worsen, with predictions of this number increasing to 60 per cent by 2030. 

“Last month the UN-backed global food security monitoring group, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), marked a damning footnote in history when it confirmed famine in Gaza, having previously confirmed famine in five parts of Sudan. It’s the first time in the IPC’s 21-year history that two famines, ongoing simultaneously, have been confirmed,” Concern CEO Dominic Crowley said.

“These unprecedented and challenging times pose a serious threat to the world’s poorest people,” he said. “Ireland must continue to lead by example, especially within the EU, championing increased investment and inspiring others to uphold their commitments to the world’s most vulnerable.”

Working in partnership with Concern, the Irish government through Irish Aid, reached two million people in 21 countries last year. They funded food security, built sustainable livelihoods, improved child and maternal health and nutrition, enhanced water and sanitation infrastructure, and provided emergency support in crises.

This included Irish Aid’s support for Concern’s work in Sudan which, after more than two years of conflict, is experiencing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Over 30.4 million people need humanitarian assistance, 11.5 million people have been forcibly displaced, and more than 24.6 million people do not have adequate access to food. In addition, 3.7 million children and women require treatment for acute malnutrition, and famine has been confirmed in five parts of the country. 

Through the support of donors, including the Irish Government, last year Concern reached over 483,000 people in Sudan with lifesaving health, nutrition, livelihood, water, and sanitation.

In Afghanistan, accessing health services can be challenging for women living in remote areas. The country has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, with one woman dying every two hours during pregnancy, childbirth, or its aftermath from largely preventable causes. 

In a major step toward improving healthcare access in remote communities under the Irish Aid Long-Term Development Programme initiative, eight new health clinics were opened earlier this year in some of the hardest to reach areas in Northeastern Afghanistan. This project aims to bring essential medical services to areas that previously lacked basic health facilities, where residents were forced to travel long distances to access care.

“These are just two countries where the partnership between Irish Aid and Concern is making lifesaving and life-changing differences to the lives of many people,” Mr Crowley said.

As part of its pre-Budget submission, Concern is also urging the Government to:

• Work with humanitarian partners to deliver life-saving programmes. The global humanitarian system is facing a funding crisis, with rising needs and shrinking resources. Ireland’s role, as a principled donor, is essential to maintain humanitarian services and programmes, whilst also supporting necessary reforms needed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the humanitarian system.
• Strengthen Ireland’s leadership by increasing climate finance contributions. To maintain influence within the climate negotiations, and impact through climate action, Ireland must scale up its overall international climate finance contributions, while maintaining a focus on adaptation and loss and damage financing.
• Recognise across government that Global Citizenship Education (GCE) is essential for building a better world. It is a vital investment in our shared future, one from which everyone benefits. Now is a critical moment to scale up GCE through a coordinated, cross-government initiative that embeds global citizenship across policies and programmes.
• Expedite the implementation of the National Philanthropy Policy. Immediate government action is needed to deliver on the commitments outlined in the policy, including identifying and championing appropriate fiscal measures to facilitate the growth of philanthropy in Ireland.

For media queries contact Eamon Timmins, Media Relations Manager, Concern Worldwide, at eamon.timmins@concern.net or 087 9880524