We have reneged on pledge to the poor

CUTS in the overseas aid budget of almost 22% in the past four months represent an appalling dereliction of our national duty to the poor.

When Bertie Ahern made a solemn commitment to the UN that this country would meet the UN target of 0.7% of GDP to overseas aid by 2012, it was more than a personal promise – he was talking on behalf of the entire population of this country.

Just last autumn, Taoiseach Brian Cowen reiterated his predecessor’s sentiments when he told a meeting on the millennium development goals at the UN: “It is nothing short of scandalous that there are over 860 million hungry people in the world today. We do not need to make further pledges if we just deliver on what we have already promised.”

Surely, if it was scandalous last year that so many of the world’s population go hungry, it is just as scandalous now. In the same speech Mr Cowen said: “The commitments and the know-how are already there. It is the political will and action that will make the difference in the fight against hunger.”

These words seem very hollow now. It is not the Taoiseach or his finance minister who must explain to impoverished communities overseas that the much-needed aid they were promised is not in fact going to arrive. It will be NGOs like Plan Ireland which will have to inform the poor that, once again, we won’t be delivering on our promises.

The Taoiseach and his government must ask themselves some questions about what it is they believe in. My colleagues and I in Plan Ireland urge them to rekindle their previously expressed empathy with the world’s poor, desist from further aid cuts and meet the 0.7% aid target to which we as a nation are committed.

David Dalton

Plan Ireland

Lr Baggot Street

Dublin 2