Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 20 December 2012

Public Accounts Committee

2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Chapter 19 - Official Development Assistance
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade
Vote 29 - International Co-operation

11:00 am

Photo of John DeasyJohn Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I take the point that in ten years in programme countries, with €2 billion spent, €4 million went missing for a short period and we will get the money back in a day or two. I accept that. The report is also very good. It is sufficiently self critical of the systems we had and points to what we need to do. I have faith in how the Department will deal with this and the record of Irish Aid and the team involved with regard to the job that has been done in the last ten years. This will be dealt with, and the €4 million was dealt with very well. Systems will improve. The witnesses have pointed out the deficiencies in the Department that must be addressed.

Since Uganda, however, there has been a political reaction to the €4 million that went missing. It troubles me slightly that some individuals, out of a perverted sense of compassion for the less well-off, are issuing press releases denouncing cuts that target the most vulnerable here, such as domiciliary care allowance and respite care allowance, while at the same time making statements to the media that the Irish Aid budget should be cut by 75%. If anyone wants to witness human depravity at its worst - and I have - he should go to Africa and visit some of the projects conducted by Irish Aid before issuing any more press releases about ending the funds those people rely on to survive. Anyone who wants to get elected to the Dáil should not do it on the backs of the sick and the dying. We have seen in the last week one particular Senator who did both, issuing a press release to talk about the most vulnerable in this country, while at the same time talking about effectively ending the Irish Aid programme. People must be careful and not use this economic environment for such crass populism that will ultimately endanger people's lives. We saw in Mozambique, and I have seen this a number of times with Irish Aid, and with the Department, people doing their jobs, saving other people's lives and doing important work. We got a sense of that after going there, looking at the projects and meeting the people who do the job on the ground. We were impressed by Mr. Ruairí de Búrca and his operation, and those who work with him, throughout Mozambique.

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