Ireland still among top donors despite aid cut

Junior Minister Peter Power has defended the Government's record on overseas aid despite a €220m cut in the aid budget this year.

Speaking at the launch of Irish Aid's latest annual report today, Mr Power said Ireland was still the sixth highest aid donor in the world in per-capita terms, ahead of countries like the US, Britain and France.

The annual report shows that Irish Aid supported 13 million Ethiopians at risk of hunger last year.

The agency also supplied fertilisers and seeds to 1.5 million families in Malawi and helped nearly 150,000 people affected by AIDS.