WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GIVE LESS

In December 2009, the Irish Government made another cut to the overseas aid budget, and also gave up on its 2012 deadline – moving its commitment to the 0.7% target to 2015.  That is another broken promise to the world’s poorest from Ireland.

 First promise: In the 1970s, Ireland signed up to a UN call to spend 0.7% of its GNI on Official Development Assistance (ODA) by the end of the decade.

 Second promise: In 2000, then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern committed Ireland to reaching the UN target for spending 0.7% of our GNI on ODA – or overseas aid – by 2007.

 Third promise: At the UN Millennium Review Summit in 2005, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern committed Ireland to reaching the UN target for spending 0.7% of our GNP on overseas aid by 2012 at the latest.

 By repeatedly cutting its overseas aid budget and reneging on its promise to reach the 0.7% target by 2012, Ireland broke its promises to the poorest, affecting millions of lives in developing countries.