THE achievement of two Irish rock stars in stirring the collective conscience of the world’s industrial nations into wiping out billions of debt owed by some of the world’s poorest nations is truly monumental.

I AM not surprised that Fianna Fáil’s Deputy Charlie O’Connor (Irish Examiner letters, December 13) is surprised and embarrassed by the Labour party campaign to highlight the decision of the Taoiseach to renege on the solemn commitment he made to the UN in September 2000 that, by 2007, Ireland would reach the UN Overseas Development Aid (ODA) target of 0.7% of GNP.