STORIES

All-Party Group of TDs and Senators Says “No More Aid Cuts”

Last modified on 2009-11-19 11:38:31 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

In a statement published on 12 November, a group of 30 TDs and Senators have called on the Government not to cut the overseas aid budget any further.

The group, which includes seven members of Fianna Fáil and three members of the Green Party, said cuts to the overseas aid budget had totaled €224 million, or the equivalent of 24%, since February this year. This was the biggest percentage cut imposed across any government department.
The all-party group (which also includes nine Labour TDs, seven from Fine Gael, two from Sinn Féin and two Independents) pointed out that earlier this year, the OECD praised Ireland as a “reliable and flexible” donor with a “cutting edge” aid programme.

“Ireland must stay true to its core values,” the group said. “These are values which contributed to our hard won international reputation as a nation, values such as solidarity, cooperation and integrity. One billion people, almost one in six people on the planet, are now going hungry, the first time this has happened in history.”

The group said that publicly and politically, Ireland’s partnership with the developing world runs deep.

“In these most challenging times, Ireland can and should respond to the needs of the world’s poorest people. Ireland is well placed to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the elimination of hunger and poverty. The overseas aid budget represents less than 1% of overall projected government spending this year. Further cuts to such a small portion of our spending will have a very limited impact on our financial stability here in Ireland, but they will have a devastating impact on some of the most vulnerable people in the developing world.”

Click here to watch RTE’s report.

Read the statement as published in the Irish Times.

* * * * *

The full text of the statement is reproduced below:

All-Party Statement on Ireland’s Commitment to the World’s Poor

Earlier this year, the OECD praised Irish Aid as a ‘reliable and flexible’ donor with a ‘cutting edge’ aid programme. Praise we can certainly be proud of. However, cuts to the overseas aid budget have totalled €224 million, or the equivalent of 24%, since February this year. This is the biggest percentage cut imposed across any government department.

Ireland is facing the most difficult challenges the nation has ever faced. There are difficult decisions to be made. Notwithstanding these challenges and the pressure they are placing on Irish people, Ireland must stay true to its core values. These are values which contributed to our hard won international reputation as a nation, values such as solidarity, cooperation and integrity.

Never before has such a perfect storm enveloped the world’s poor. The financial and economic crises have come on top of a food and fuel crisis in early 2008 and the ongoing climate crisis is likely to be the greatest challenge they have ever faced. One billion people, almost one in six people on the planet, are now going hungry, the first time this has happened in history.

Irish NGOs are now faced with withdrawing their operations from some of the poorest countries in the world. Life-saving programmes are being stopped, such as programmes that are providing essential vaccinations to vulnerable children and clean water and sanitation services to poor communities. Women’s lives in Uganda are being put at risk because their access to prenatal and post-natal care is being withdrawn. Families in Angola, who were eating two meals a day instead of one, may now go hungry once again as a result of their programme being cut. People who were already on the brink are being forced into even deeper poverty, resulting in increased morbidity, malnutrition and rising infant mortality.

Publicly and politically, Ireland’s partnership with the developing world runs deep. Development and humanitarian policies sit at the heart of our foreign policy, promoting peace, development, prosperity and justice.

In these most challenging times, Ireland can and should respond to the needs of the world’s poorest people. Ireland is well placed to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the elimination of hunger and poverty. Our own tragic history of famine behoves us to do so.

The overseas aid budget represents less than 1% of overall projected government spending this year. Further cuts to such a small portion of our spending will have a very limited impact on our financial stability here in Ireland, but they will have a devastating impact on some of the most vulnerable people in the developing world. Investment requires long-term commitments and predictability in order for it to be effective. Withdrawing funding to well-established partners, programmes and beneficiaries is a short-sighted and inefficient means of protecting a substantial investment over the course of Irish Aid’s existence.

We therefore earnestly call on the Government not to cut overseas aid any further in the next budget.

Signed by:

• Chris Andrews TD
• Senator Dan Boyle
• Pat Breen TD
• Joan Burton TD
• Seán Connick TD
• Joe Costello TD
• Ciarán Cuffe TD (Green Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs)
• John Deasy TD (Fine Gael Spokesperson with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development Aid)
• Bernard Durkan TD (Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs)
• Senator Dominic Hannigan
• Michael D Higgins TD (Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs)
• Brendan Howlin TD (Chairperson of the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa)
• Michael Kitt TD (Former Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development)
• Tom Kitt TD (Former Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Overseas Development)
• Kathleen Lynch TD
• Olivia Mitchell TD
• Arthur Morgan TD
• Denis Naughten TD
• Dan Neville TD
• Charlie O’Connor TD
• Fergus O’Dowd TD
• Rory O’Hanlon TD (Vice-Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs)
• Senator Fiona O’Malley
• Brian O’Shea TD
• Aengus O’Snodaigh TD (Sinn Féin Spokesperson on International Affairs)
• Jan O’Sullivan TD
• Maureen O’Sullivan TD
• Ruairí Quinn TD
• Mary Upton TD
• Michael Woods TD (Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs)

For further information, contact Simon Murtagh, The Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA), Tel: 087 3238718.

Click here to watch RTE’s report

Mary Robinson Appeal on Irish Aid Cuts

Last modified on 2009-11-19 11:38:50 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

From RTE, 6 November 2009

www.rte.ie

Former President Mary Robinson has appealed to the Government not to cut the funding for Irish Aid in the upcoming Budget.

Mrs Robinson made the comments at the annual meeting of the country’s Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence – to which she is a special advisor.

She said the global recession was causing an increase in gender-based violence in developing countries which needed aid more than ever.

The Government has committed to contributing 0.7% of GDP to overseas aid by 2012 however currently it is at 0.48%. In a succession of cuts, the Irish Aid budget has been reduced by €222m this year. Mrs Robinson said she knew times were very tough and that people in Ireland were hurting, but that the Government should keep its commitment on aid spending.

She said when Ireland was poor in the past it was very generous to developing countries because it could identify with them. She said countries that were going through harder times than Ireland needed the Government to keep its commitment and not cut aid spending at this time.

Mrs Robinson said the Government needed to plan to meet the target of contributing 0.7% of GDP to foreign aid.

African Musicians call on Government not to cut the overseas aid budget

Last modified on 2009-11-19 11:39:05 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

African musicians based in Ireland came out this week to declare their support for the We Do Care campaign.

(left to right) Naughty from Millaz, Charles Radise, Prince 4 God, Deb Sandy, Chris Kabbs, Kyria Dee, MC Mighty, Yn Hitz, Jean Passion and Shaq Millaz declared that they do not want the government to cut the overseas aid programme.

African-Irish Beauty Queens call on Government not to cut the overseas aid budget

Last modified on 2009-11-19 11:39:20 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Ifrah Ahmad (contestant Face of Africa), Rumbidzai Netsiyanwa (Miss Zimbabwe 2009), Goodness Sibanda (African Queen of Ireland), Elizabeth Dumba (Miss Zimbabwe Ireland) and Gwendolene Maphoso (Face of Africa First Princess) have lent their support to the campaign in favour of Ireland’s aid promise to the world’s poorest people.

(left to right) Ifrah Ahmad (contestant Face of Africa), Rumbidzai Netsiyanwa (Miss Zimbabwe 2009), Goodness Sibanda (African Queen of Ireland), Elizabeth Dumba (Miss Zimbabwe Ireland) and Gwendolene Maphoso (Face of Africa First Princess)

Academics call on Government to respect its development commitments

Last modified on 2009-11-05 15:58:03 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

In a letter published in the Irish Times, Academics called on the government to respect its international development commitments and at the very least to maintain the official aid programme at its current level in the forthcoming budget.

* * * *

The letter as published in the Irish Times:

Cuts to development aid

Mon, Oct 26, 2009

Madam, – Ireland has in recent years established itself as a generous donor in the field of international development, and its aid programme has been widely lauded for its effectiveness and its focus on hunger and poverty reduction in some of the world’s poorest countries.

However, Ireland is now reneging on its promises and is in danger of undoing the good work and good international reputation it has achieved.

In 2008, the Government spent €920.6 million on official development assistance (ODA), or overseas aid. The budget has been reduced to €696 million in 2009, a cut of more than 24 per cent in our commitment to some of the world’s poorest countries.

While recognising that difficult decisions have to be taken within the current economic climate, the cuts to the official aid budget have been particularly severe and disproportionate, with serious consequences for Ireland’s contribution to poverty reduction.

Life-saving programmes in areas such as water and sanitation, primary healthcare and nutrition have already been curtailed and many successful initiatives are set to be discontinued.

The possibility of even further cuts is creating enormous uncertainty for development and relief organisations and overseas partners trying to plan their work, at a time when poverty and vulnerability are growing dramatically. This is not just a cause of concern for government or political parties, but for the entire country, as it says much about the values we espouse as a society.

As individual academics involved in and concerned about development research and teaching, we are calling on the Government to respect its international development commitments and at the very least to maintain the official aid programme at its current level in the forthcoming budget. – Yours, etc,

FIONA MEEHAN, Lecturer, Kimmage Development Studies Centre (KDSC), Dublin 12;
Dr ADEBOLA ADEDIMEJI, TCD;
Dr BARBARA BRADBY, TCD;
Dr EAMONN BREHONY, KDSC;
TOM CAMPBELL, KDSC;
Dr PADRAIG CARMODY, TCD;
Dr FRANCESCO CAVATORTA, DCU;
Dr NICK CHISHOLM, UCD;
Dr EILEEN CONNOLLY, DCU;
Prof PEADAR CREMIN, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick;
Dr MAURA CRONIN, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick;
Dr PATRICK DAVEY, Mountains of the Moon University, Uganda;
Prof JIM DEEGAN, UL;
Dr ANNE DOLAN, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick;
Dr GERARD DOWNES, UL;
Prof MARTIN J DOWNES, NUI Maynooth;
Dr HONOR FAGAN, NUI Maynooth;
Dr JIM GLEESON, UL;
Dr ROSARII GRIFFIN, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick;
Dr BERNIE GRUMMELL, NUI Maynooth;
DEIRDRE HEALY, KDSC;
Dr SU-MING KHOO, NUI Galway;
ANNE KINSELLA, KDSC;
Dr JIM KINSELLA, UCD;
Prof PEADAR KIRBY, University of Limerick;
Dr EDWARD LAHIFF, TCD;
Dr JAMES LOUGHMAN, DIT;
PATRICK MARREN, KDSC;
Dr CHANDANA MATHUR, NUI Maynooth;
Prof ALAN MATTHEWS, TCD;
FIONA MEEHAN, KDSC;
Prof JIM PHELAN, UCD;
PADDY REILLY, KDSC;
BRENDAN RIORDAN, Consultant;
Dr HELEN SHERIDAN, TCD;
Dr ANDY STOREY, UCD;
Dr RIK VAN NIEUWENHOVE; Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

Dozens of academics blast reductions in Government’s foreign aid budget

Last modified on 2009-11-05 15:57:43 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Irish Independent

Sunday October 18 2009

THIRTY-FIVE academics from all seven Irish universities have highlighted their concern at cuts in Ireland’s foreign aid budget.

In a letter to newspapers they said that Ireland had established itself as a generous international donor, but the cuts in foreign aid have been “particularly severe and disproportionate, with serious consequences for Ireland’s contribution to poverty reduction”.

In 2008, the Government spent €920.6m on overseas aid. The budget has been reduced to €696m in 2009.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference called on Brian Lenihan not to cut overseas aid

Last modified on 2009-11-05 15:57:24 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Early this month, the Primate of Ireland Cardinal Sean Brady, on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, wrote to the Minister for Finance to appeal to him not to cut the overseas aid budget.

The letter from Cardinal Seán Brady to the Minister for Finance:

Mr Brian Lenihan TD,

Minister for Finance,

Department of Finance,

Government Buildings,

Dublin 2.

9 October 2009

Dear Minister,

At its recent meeting the Catholic Bishops’ Conference considered the issue of Ireland’s Overseas Development Aid (ODA) allocation in the light of the significant cuts made to it over the past year and the recommendations concerning the allocation in the McCarthy report. We are fearful that if those recommendations are implemented we will see the ODA allocation cut again in the forthcoming budget and also, most likely, in the budget for 2011.

We acknowledge that we are facing significant challenges here at home at present. We know that savings must be made. However, we believe that savings made through further cuts to ODA will have a marginal impact on our own problems while having a devastating impact on the lives of some of the world’s poorest people.

For this reason the Catholic Bishops’ Conference is opposed to such cuts and urges the Government to keep the promises made to the world’s poorest people. These vulnerable people have had no part to play in creating the multiple crises now facing them – climate, financial, food – yet the challenges they face are unprecedented. I appeal to you not to turn your back on them.

In his recent encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict reminded us that evidence of God’s undying love “sustains us in our laborious and stimulating work for justice and the development of peoples, amid successes and failures”. I believe that such awareness has sustained the Irish people in the past and is doing so again in this present crisis.

The Pope called on more economically developed nations to do everything they can to allocate larger portions of their Gross Domestic Product to development. He believes that magnanimity is the only way out of this crisis for all.

Ireland is proud of its record of standing by those in the developing world. It is a record of real magnanimity. Ireland’s aid makes a real difference in reducing poverty and inequality in some of the world’s poorest countries. Even in these difficult times, the right decision for Ireland is to show solidarity with the poor and strong leadership in honouring our international commitments.

We must ensure that we maintain our current level of aid spending until such a time as we are in a position to build it up again.

Yours sincerely,

_______________________

Cardinal Seán Brady

President

Irish Episcopal Conference

Catholic Bishops’ Conference opposes further cuts to ODA

Last modified on 2009-11-11 16:04:39 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Cardinal calls for end to cuts in overseas aid spending (27 October, Irish Times)

Aid cuts would be awful for poor, warn bishops (27 October, Irish Independent)

Cardinal calls on Lenihan not to cut overseas aid (26 October, Ireland Online)

Cardinal calls on Lenihan not to cut overseas aid (26 October, Fingal Independent)

The letter from Cardinal Seán Brady to the Minister for Finance:

Mr Brian Lenihan TD,

Minister for Finance,

Department of Finance,

Government Buildings,

Dublin 2.

9 October 2009

Dear Minister,

We must ensure that we maintain our current level of aid spending until such a time as we are in a position to build it up again.

Yours sincerely,

_______________________

Cardinal Seán Brady

President

Irish Episcopal Conference

EU report confirms Europeans Don’t Care Any Less

Last modified on 2009-11-25 09:55:21 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

New EU report confirms that Europeans Don’t Care Any Less about global development

A recent EU-commissioned opinion poll found that around 90% of Europeans still believe development is important, and that 72% of Europeans are in favour of honouring or going beyond existing aid commitments to the developing world.

· More than 92% of Irish respondents said that it was “important” to help people in developing countries, the fourth highest level of support for development cooperation among the 27 countries.

· Despite the economic crisis, 65% of Irish respondents found that we should exceed or at least honour our aid commitment (contrasted with 13% who argued it should be cut).

In other words, despite the crisis, people in Ireland do care about overseas aid.

“This poll clearly shows that citizens expect their governments and the EU Commission to dig deep for development financing”, said EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Karel De Gucht. “Even in the context of the economic crisis, I appeal again to the EU Member States to stick to their commitments to increase development aid up to € 69 billion by 2010 to meet the mid term target of the Millennium Development Goals”.

The Special Eurobarometer n°318 on “Development Aid in time of economic turmoil” was conducted in May-June 2009 and was aimed at assessing whether the economic downturn affected public support for development cooperation in European countries.

The entire report is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb_special_en.htm

Aid Agencies Call on Oireachtas to Stop Aid Cuts

Last modified on 2009-10-04 15:10:44 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Irish aid agencies told the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday 3 September that aid cuts mean deaths in developing countries and called for the cuts to cease.

Speaking at the meeting, Trócaire director Justin Kilcullen said the use by the Government of the 0.7% target to bolster its case for cuts was a “perversion” of the intentions of the UN. Trócaire is ending its programmes in Zambia, Nigeria, Peru and Indonesia, while Concern says it has to cut 500 jobs worldwide.

During the debate, Senator John Hanafin and Deputy Noel Treacy asked whether aid could be tied to Irish products.

Tom Arnold of Concern responded that “part of the Irish Aid programme’s international reputation is due to the fact it is untied.” He argued that much of the growing trade links between Ireland and Tanzania were due to the goodwill generated by the Irish Aid programme, linked to the fact that it was untied. He also pointed out that tied food aid from the United States has been heavily criticised.

For more info, see:

Transcript of the debate in the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee: http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=FOJ20090903.xml&Node=H3#H3

RTE News coverage of the NGO presentation: http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0903/9news_av.html?2603887,null,230

Church Leaders support Overseas Aid

Last modified on 2009-10-07 11:00:40 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

This Saturday, five church leaders publicly expressed their support for continued investment in development cooperation.

A letter, published in the Irish Times, called on the government to stay the course on overseas aid, and attain the 0.7% target by 2012.

Read the Church Leaders’

statement here

OVERSEAS AID COMMITMENTS

Irish Times – Sat, Sep 12, 2009

Madam,

Ireland is at a crucial moment in its history. Faced with serious challenges, the choices it makes now – as a country and society – will chart its course for many years to come. Notwithstanding the current difficulties within the Irish economy and the pressure these difficulties place on Irish people, in deciding how it responds to these challenges, Ireland must also stay true to its core values – those which define it as a nation within the international community –values such as solidarity, co-operation and integrity.

Publicly and politically, Ireland’s partnership with the developing world runs deep. Development and humanitarian policies sit at the heart of its foreign policy and this reflects an intention and an ambition to engage with the wider world in ways that promote peace, development, prosperity and justice. Ireland’s long-standing commitment to increasing the volume and quality of its development and humanitarian assistance has strengthened its effectiveness as a development actor and ensured an international reputation as a progressive donor.

Unfortunately, both have been overshadowed over the past 12 months by four successive cuts to the overseas aid budget that have totalled €255 million. These cuts have already had huge implications for the poorest and most vulnerable across the developing world – hindering progress in health and education, undermining Ireland’s goal to help tackle hunger and, in some instances, threatening the lives and livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable of our world.

Ireland is well placed to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the elimination of hunger and poverty. This country’s ability to show leadership and nurture development has been demonstrated in the past. In these most challenging times, Ireland can and should respond to the needs of the world’s poorest people with a clear determination to do the right thing. Ireland can and should show leadership and honour its international commitments on overseas aid by 2012 as it declared it would.

We call on Ireland to stay the course on overseas aid by demonstrating its commitment in these difficult times – not turning its back on those living in poverty, for whom things are immeasurably tougher. Ireland can and should get back on track as a nation and keep its promise to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on official development assistance by 2012.

Yours, etc,

Cardinal SEÁN BRADY, Catholic Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop, Armagh;

ALAN HARPER, Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland, Armagh;

Rev STAFFORD CARSON, Moderator, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Belfast;

Rev DONALD KER, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, Belfast;

ALAN PIM, Clerk of Ireland Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Dublin.

African Soccer Stars Show They Don’t Care Less

Last modified on 2009-09-15 14:58:24 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

left to right: Oscar Sibanda (Drogheda Utd), Victor Ekanem (Shamrock Rovers) and Chukwuemeka Onwubiko (Bray Wanderers)

The SARI Soccerfest, led by Brian Kerr, brings together over 40 men and women’s teams from a wide range of nationalities, now living in Ireland, making it the largest intercultural football tournament in Ireland.

Concern’s Stop Child Labour KiteFest will see kite flyers from around the world coming together to display and fly their spectacular kites to raise awareness of child labour in the developing world.

Further information www.sari.ie or www.stopchildlabour.net

Overwhelming Support for Aid in Poll

Last modified on 2009-09-15 14:58:40 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Opinion Polls Show Overwhelming Support for Overseas Aid

Results of the Evening Herald Poll 11/09/09

Earlier this month, Trócaire published the results of a TNS/MRBI opinion poll it commissioned. The survey found that while a majority believed Government spending on overseas aid was much higher than is the case (as much as 10% of national income, compared with the actual figure of 0.48%), most respondents supported an increase in the aid budget.

Similarly, on September 10th, HeraldAM asked readers in its daily poll if they agreed with the Irish Governments decision to cut overseas aid by €222million in order to help restore public finances. “An overwhelming majority of HeraldAM readers disagree with the cuts.”

222 Protest at Department of Finance

Last modified on 2009-10-07 10:55:49 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

222 people protest at the Department of Finance. 9/9/2009.Photo:Leon Farrell Photocall Ireland.

This week, Ireland’s aid agencies called on the government to ‘get back on track’ with its overseas aid promise to reach the 0.7% GDP target by 2012.

Gathering outside the Department of Finance, 222 people representing the €222 million cut from the Irish aid budget this year, declared that, even in difficult economic times, we do care about the poorest people of our world.

Demonstrators outside the Department of Finance

This year, the Government has cut overseas aid by €222 million, or 24% of the budget for 2009.

“At a time when the world’s most vulnerable people are already feeling the impact of the financial crisis and the effects of climate change – caused by rich nations – we want to remind the government that Irish people want our long-standing solidarity with the poorest people of our world to continue.

“As a nation, we do not want to see the weakest and most vulnerable suffer disproportionately” said Hans Zomer, Director of Dóchas, the network of Ireland’s aid agencies.

“To target the poorest and most vulnerable who have done least to cause this crisis is a terrible injustice. The government needs to get back on track and keep its promise to the world’s poor”, said Zomer.

Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland.

WHO CARES?