We should be careful with money for Uganda

JOHN O’Shea’s article criticising Irish Government aid to Uganda (Irish Examiner, August 20) provides a welcome insight into some of the dilemmas facing governments when considering aid to less fortunate countries.

Mr O'Shea's criticism of the wisdom of sending funds to a regime in country which appears to have to endure endemic corruption is well-founded.

We, as a nation, cannot in good conscience send a single euro while the possibility exists that it might be misappropriated, and taken away from those that need it most.

When that money as evidenced by Channel 4's harrowing documentary recently might be misused to send arms to slaughter innocents in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, then the choice is clear. The Government, through the auspices of Development Co-operation Ireland, must cut off all funding which goes directly to the Ugandan government.

As Mr O'Shea stated, diverting funds to the regions in Uganda is merely window dressing given the near-dictatorship that exists in that country.

Any funding intended to address poverty and want in Uganda should be allocated through NGOs and aid agencies, with no possibility of misuse.

Paul Cosgrove,

Newpark,

Ennis,

Co Clare.