Plea to Ahern over broken aid promise

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.

A fortnight before world leaders meet for the United Nations summit in New York, Dochas called on the Government to set a date for fulfilling its commitment of 0.7% of GNP on overseas aid.

“In two weeks’ time the Taoiseach meets with other world leaders in New York to review the progress of the Millennium Development Goals,” Hans Zomer, of the NGO umbrella organisation Dochas, said.

“It was at this very same forum five years ago that the Taoiseach promised to increase aid to reach the 0.7% target. Since then, the Government has announced it will not reach the target by 2007, but has not given us an alternative plan.”

In 2000, the Taoiseach announced the Government would spend 0.7% of Ireland’s GNP on overseas aid by 2007 at the UN Millennium Summit in New York.

However, the Government failed to meet this commitment.

The 44 aid agencies in Make Poverty History, trade unions and the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs have all called for a revised target date of 2010.

Mr Ahern is due to meet with other world leaders in two weeks’ time to review the progress of the Millennium Goals targets.

“As the date is debated, we urge the Taoiseach to show leadership and ambition and agree to 2010,” Mr Zomer said.

“This need for leadership has never been more pressing, given the attempts by some countries to undermine the fight against poverty in the run-up to the UN Millennium Summit in two weeks’ time.”

The aid agencies are calling for a year-by-year interim percentage commitments for 2006-2009 and legislation to copper-fasten the policy.

Colin Roche from Oxfam Ireland said: ““We have to show to the world’s poor how we will make up for the broken promise.”