Aid agencies have questioned the Government’s commitment to contributing 0.7% of gross national income towards overseas aid after yesterday’s budget showed no increase in funding for overseas development assistance.

In two weeks’ time, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny will travel to the United Nations in New York, to join other world leaders in a review of the global strategy to tackle the world’s biggest problems.

A UN report shows Brazil is winning, and exporting, its anti-austerity policies, writes Hans Zomer

As the World Cup kicks off, the Brazilian government and FIFA will be hoping that the world’s attention turns to the soccer field, and away from the strikes and complaints about the organisers’ ineffectiveness.

We recently marked Europe Day, and on May 23 we will vote on 11 Irish members of the European Parliament, who will determine not just Europe’s policy towards Ireland, but Ireland’s response to international issues such as climate change, trade and energy.

People must be heard in the global debate to end poverty and climate change. Ireland has a unique chance to influence a just and sustainable future, if they have their say, says Hans Zomer

Your newspaper reported on the leak of millions of documents and emails that revealed the identities of holders of offshore accounts (“Identities of offshore account holders revealed”, Apr 5).

It is with pleasure that I have read in your newspaper coverage of the Irish EU presidency, but you are missing one of the big news stories.

European leaders negotiating the bloc’s budget must not lose sight of the project’s overarching purpose, argues Hans Zomer

Hard times for charities: A perfect storm or an opportunity? Charities may not be run for profit, but they still need to have high standards of corporate governance, writes Hans Zomer

AN Irish Examiner survey of the pay packages earned by the heads of leading charities shows most are on salaries ranging from €100,000 to €150,000.

Irish people have donated €12m to help those hit by famine in the Horn of Africa.

AS the Labour Party and Fine Gael meet to negotiate a Programme for Government, it might be timely to remind them of one area where the two parties would seem to agree: the need for Ireland’s foreign policy to be based on human rights.

FOREIGN Minister Micheál Martin recently co-chaired a high-profile event with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in the margin of the UN Millennium Development Goals review summit in New York.

NEXT week, world leaders will gather in New York for the 10th anniversary of the UN millennium development goals.

JUST as world leaders at the recent meetings of the G20 and G8 showed that they would rather forget their promises of more and better aid, the world’s poorest countries are showing real leadership in the global effort to make poverty history.

IN September 2000, world leaders met at the United Nations to sign a historic deal to make the worst forms of global poverty history before the year 2015.

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti, the Irish aid agencies have launched an information website showing how the general public can assist victims of major disasters.

The umbrella group of Ireland’s development NGOs Dóchas has expressed disappointment at the Government’s decision to cut the overseas aid budget again.

Ireland’s development NGOs today welcomed the commitment by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to introduce legislation obliging the UK government to raise spending on aid to the poorest countries to 0.7% of national income

ON Thursday representatives of states from around the world will gather to sign an agreement aimed at strengthening the protection of economic, social and cultural rights for individuals.

Government borrowing to run the country for 10 days matches the entire overseas aid budget for one year, an under-fire junior minister revealed today.

TODAY we have the opportunity to elect the 12 Irish members of the European Parliament. Despite growing apathy towards the elections and antipathy towards politicians, we should remember the world’s poorest people have many reasons to care about the outcome of the vote.

THE Government’s strategy to fight the recession is based on attempts to repair our damaged international reputation as a country “open for business”. Yet the Government is deliberately and wilfully ruining our reputation as a country that keeps its promises.

THE Minister for Overseas Development has appealed to aid agencies to maintain good working relations with his department in the face of severe criticisms over dramatic cuts in funding to help the world’s poor.

OVERSEAS aids agencies reacted with shock and horror at the €100 million cut in Ireland’s overseas aid budget announced by Brian Lenihan.

AS the recession brings further cuts in government spending, it may be good to remind ourselves this global crisis requires a global response.

Ireland’s overseas development NGOs today expressed shock at the Government’s decision to slash the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget by €95m.

An Irish Government task force is calling on world leaders to honour commitments they have made on tackling global hunger.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern last night delivered a stinging rebuke to aid agencies and opposition parties who want him to reverse plans to decentralise the Government’s foreign aid section.

Overseas aid staff who are refusing to decentralise from Dublin to Limerick are not irreplaceable, the Government warned tonight.

An organisation representing Irish aid groups has called on the Government to reconsider its plans to move the offices of its aid programme to Limerick.

The Government’s pledge to spend 0.7% of GNP on overseas aid by 2012 has proved people power works, Irish aid agencies claimed today.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was today urged to avoid embarrassment on the world stage by setting a new date of 2010 for honouring Ireland’s promise on overseas aid.

With the Irish Presidency of the EU now just weeks away, a number of development agencies are calling on the Government to use the presidency to help developing countries.