Our reputation as a caring nation is at risk

IN his letter headlined ‘Why give borrowed money as foreign aid?’ (September 12), Myles Duffy asserts that because our economic circumstances are “radically different” now, we should cut the relatively modest amount spent through Irish aid on some of the world’s poorest countries.

We live in a world of stark inequalities where our idea of recession would be regarded as a boom in the countries receiving of our overseas aid.

One in every six people on this planet — more than one billion — are going hungry every day. This is the true emergency of our times. It was recognised this should not be tolerated when, in 1970, it was agreed by UN member countries that rich countries, including Ireland, should spend 0.7% of GNP on overseas aid. The deadline to ramp up to this modest target was 1975.