Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Does the Minister of State accept that consultations on the UN overseas development aid target are unnecessary? Will he admit the proposal is nothing more than a cheap stalling tactic which insults people's intelligence? The public has demonstrated how fundamental the issue of international solidarity is by donating €50 million of its hard-earned cash to the tsunami relief fund, more than twice that of the Government. Will he accept that the development co-operation sector, including the umbrella organisation Dóchas and Development Co-operation Ireland, has made it crystal clear what is required to implement the overseas development aid target of 0.7% of GNP by 2007? This is the only acceptable timeframe and there is a consensus, other than on the part of the Minister of State, on this issue. Rather than delaying with the consultation process, he should be working to deliver the target endorsed by the Government.

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