Government cannot fill funding gap at aid agency after USAID cuts, Taoiseach says

By David Young, PA, in Austin, Texas

The Government will not be able to bridge the funding gap at Irish aid agency Concern following USAID cuts, Micheál Martin has said.

The agency is to lay off staff members at offices across the world following the new US administration’s developmental aid policy.

Asked about the issue at the start of his diplomatic trip to the US for St Patrick’s Day, the Taoiseach said he was not aware of job losses at other Irish aid agencies.

He added that Concern had an “extensive” presence in the US and that its branches and partners had won USAID contracts.

“We won’t be able to make up that shortfall,” he said speaking in Austin, Texas, on Monday.

“That’s obviously an unfolding situation in the US, and is very much a factor of US politics and how US government is approaching these issues.”

Mr Martin said that the issue had been discussed at European Union level.

“There may be, in the fullness of time, initiatives taken by the European Union, but again, it doesn’t have the resources either to fulfil or replace the substantial nature of that – and Ireland certainly wouldn’t have that either,” he said.

“We will continue to do what we do, we’ll see how things unfold.

“There’s a lot to play for here yet and there’s some distance to go in terms of some of those programmes.

“I haven’t met Concern yet about it, and I know that Irish Aid will be in discussions with Concern.”

He added: “Separate to us altogether, they would have had branches here in the US and affiliates here in the US, who had won contracts from USAID.”

Concern Worldwide has been contacted for comment.