Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

My motivation for the paper in the first place is that Deputy Quinn's predecessor set a fine example by publishing the first ever White Paper on foreign policy. In admiration of that I decided to publish a White Paper on this issue. I do not believe it is necessary to legislate yet.

I would prefer to achieve the 0.7% target and lock it in then if necessary. There is a risk to legislating for this figure because if one does so one cannot increase it. I would like Ireland to be in a position to go beyond 0.7% and copy our friends in Scandinavia who give 1% and are increasing that figure.

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