Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I repeat my request for information on who is handling the relationship with Somalia. My own reading on it is that there is an interim Government in place but there has been very little news from Somalia regarding the number of deaths, destruction or whatever. In so far as it is not represented strongly at the inter-state relationships, it would be a further punishment since the Somalian famine if, in turn, it was not assisted in the same way as others.

It would be very useful if, in the coming weeks, we got an idea of what has been pledged internationally by way of aid post-tsunami in terms of loans and grants. Many of the international pledges have been loans rather than grants and some of the aid promised is tied to significant conditions. Equally, regarding the debt release that has been promised for the five countries affected, it is not clear whether that is full cancellation or deferral. On first reading it would appear to be deferment and one has to ask about the implications of that for Africa.

I put it to the Minister, Deputy Ahern, that the use of the gross figure is something that has enabled the United States, for example, to claim that in respect of overseas development aid it is the largest gross player but it masks the fact that the figure is at 0.12% in terms of proportion of gross income and it is at the bottom of the table in respect of international commitment to ODA. The target set in the United States in the post-tsunami situation would reveal the same thing when population is taken into account. We should pay tribute to the Irish response but also warn against the use of gross figures. If John O'Shea is not concerned, I am. The percentage figure is a true figure because it relates to the contribution, per capita and per citizen, to overseas development aid.

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