Ireland eight years late to meet UN 0.7% GNP goal

THE Government yesterday signed up to a new EU timeframe aimed at delivering 0.7% of GNP for overseas development aid by 2015 - a full eight years after the original deadline.

Controversially, the original Government commitment to the United Nations target, made by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern before the UN General Assembly in 2000, should have been met by 2007.

In a meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels yesterday, Ireland and the other 24 EU member states signed off on a deal which will see a two-tier commitment to delivering the 0.7% goal.