Restore vital aid to the world’s poor

An open letter to the Minister for Finance, Mr Brian Lenihan TD

Dear Minister,

In your budget you have cut the overseas development aid allocation by a further €100 million, the fourth cut since July last, thus reducing the overall aid budget for 2009 by over €250 million. This decision has been taken despite repeated promises to the developing countries, even since this crisis began, that Ireland will fulfil its commitment to the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNP as aid by 2012. This is now a forlorn hope.