Honour commitment to overseas aid

TODAY, 30,000 children will die needlessly. It is our country’s great shame that we have reneged on our overseas aid promise to the world’s poorest people.

We ask that the Government does not further delay in its commitment to spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid beyond 2010.

Postponing the achievement of this commitment until 2015 is tantamount to stealing back over €2 billion from people dying of extreme and preventable poverty - 0.7% by 2010 is achievable and we ask Government to consider Jeffrey Sachs’ recent UN report, which outlines how €2bn can lift over two million people in low income countries out of poverty over the next 10 years.

We have our own problems in Ireland and the programme for government has many noble objectives, but in our country of plenty, none of these objectives have the ability to contribute so powerfully to mankind or to save so many lives.

Our Government has the power to lift an additional two million people out of poverty with just 0.3% of our national income. Not to do so would be a moral tragedy and a shame on the people of Ireland.

Whatever faith this commitment was made in, it has given Ireland strong political leverage internationally, it has been a great source of pride for many Irish people across the world and, more importantly, it has delivered both hope and life-saving financial support to the poorest people in the world.

The achievement of the millennium development goals which aims to halve extreme poverty by 2015 is not just a moral imperative, but is critical to economic and political stability and security across the world.

The achievement of these goals requires 0.7% of our national income now and not in 1012 or 2015. Our record on high quality aid is something to be envied, but is scant consolation to the two million people that will suffer through our inability to expand our overseas aid programme efficiently and effectively.

Our TDs and ministers now represent the voices of these two million people. They must ensure the commitment to spend 0.7% of GNP on overseas aid by 2010 is secured, achieved, and backed up by legislation if necessary.

Rob Carr, Aileen Concannon, Rory Concannon, Francis Gilligan, Aileen MacDonagh, Brian Morkan, Siodhna McGowan, Mark O’Gorman, Paul O’Hara

Almost Live 8

4 Waltham House

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