More debt relief needed to fight AIDS: O'Donnell

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Liz O'Donnell has called for greater debt relief for poorer countries to deal with AIDS.

Speaking to the European Parliament, Minister O'Donnell said it is unacceptable that resources needed to fight the disease are being used to repay debts to multinational banks.

She added that existing efforts to provide debt relief have not yet taken sufficient account of the impact of HIV and AIDS and urged the EU and UN to allow greater debt relief for these countries.

Her call comes as the latest figures for adult infection rate for the virus exceeds 20% in parts of Africa.