Overseas aid - Government must keep UN promise

The empty promise made four years ago by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern before world leaders to meet United Nations overseas aid targets by 2007, has come back, once more, to deeply embarrass the Government and the country.

He had pledged to donate 0.7% of GDP in development aid, but that was abandoned last year when the book of estimates was announced.

Yesterday, Ireland’s empty promise was criticised at the launch in London of the Commission for Africa, a venture which was largely initiated by British Prime Minister Tony Blair.