Sustaining foreign aid - A duty, not an option

A SCEPTIC once described Third World aid as a poor man in a rich country giving money to a rich man in a poor country.

Because of Ireland’s record in this area we can dismiss this barb as a good but untrue one-liner.

We know, from direct experience, that relatively small funding can make a huge difference to poverty-stricken people.

Yesterday Cardinal Seán Brady asked that we not cut, despite all of our difficulties, overseas aid to developing countries.

Very few of us would argue that we should because we realise that our difficulties, though deeply challenging, are not life threatening.

As we said before, development aid is not an option, it is a duty.