Harney confirms Government is to renege on UN aid pledge

THE Government is to renege on a promise made to the United Nations to meet overseas aid targets by 2007, Tánaiste Mary Harney confirmed yesterday.

Ms Harney admitted that the pledge to donate 0.7% of GDP in development aid would now only be met if Ireland goes into recession. “I accept that we are not going to meet the 0.7% but the Government has many demands, time frames change,” she told the Dáil.

“Over the next three years we will give an additional €1.8 billion in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), and that is a considerable increase.” The concession prompted loud heckles from the Opposition benches and cries of “you should be ashamed of yourself.”