Taxpayers need to know the true story on aid

IN his column headlined ‘Isn’t it time we got real about the cost of overseas development aid?’ (October 22), Matt Cooper gave voice to some widely-held public concerns regarding Irish overseas development aid.

It is wholly understandable and proper, particularly in a time of deep recession and severe belt-tightening at home, that journalists and citizens should raise questions about aid. After all, it is Irish taxpayers’ money that foots the bill, and there are serious questions that need answering.

In particular, Matt Cooper is correct to question the efficacy of continuing to channel aid through patently corrupt governments, despite what hard experience should have taught us.

Even before the recession, an anti-aid sentiment was growing in Ireland because of so many well-documented cases of aid being misappropriated by recipient governments. In the current economic climate, the growth of this sentiment has accelerated as the practice of government-to-government aid allocation has continued, along with further revelations of misappropriation.

I do not believe Irish people have any wish to abandon the developing world. It is part of our national character to maintain a deep concern for, and commitment to helping, the global poor and the downtrodden.

However, what the Irish public will not abide is their hard-earned money being used to line the pockets of corrupt governments, or wasted through inefficiencies in the name of helping the world’s poor. Far from being above scrutiny, the allocation of overseas development aid should be absolutely transparent as a reassurance to the taxpayer.

John O’Shea

GOAL

PO Box 19

Dun Laoghaire

Co Dublin