Will Kofi hear the shameful facts?

AS we welcome UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to Ireland the Government has serious questions to answer about their commitment to helping the world’s poor.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made a solemn declaration at the UN millennium summit in September 2000 that Ireland would reach the UN target of spending 0.7% of our GNP on aid by 2007.

This high-profile declaration, repeated at several subsequent UN summits, encouraged four larger countries - Belgium, Finland, France and Britain - to announce time-bound commitments to the 0.7% target. However, Ireland’s aid has fallen from 0.41% of GNP in 2002 to 0.4% last year. It may fall further to 0.39% this year.