Overseas aid: Charity begins at home

EILISH DILLION (Letters, July 4) makes a valid argument in support of the Irish Government Overseas Aid Programme.

Having lived and worked abroad for 32 years, including in some of the countries Ireland provided with aid, I feel obliged to disagree with the arguments put forward.

Apart from the fact that many of the countries Ireland supports are in their present situation due to internal corruption, I would argue the primary responsibility of the Government is to the Irish people, taking into account the present state of the Irish economy, primarily due to the incompetence, inefficiency, corruption of a select few.

I personally believe the Government should abandon all overseas aid projects until the needs of the Irish people are provided for, that mothers can feed their children and older persons can be properly cared for in a dignified manner. Schools and hospital facilities should be provided to all as required.

Charity begins at home.

This in no way reflects on the excellent work carried out by Irish charitable organisations both at home and abroad. However, it is time the Irish people took care of their own first.

Michael A. Moriarty

Rochestown

Cork