Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

The Taoiseach's Department has line responsibility for the agreement with the social partners. The Fianna Fáil programme and the programme for Government made an explicit commitment to allocate 0.7% of GNP to overseas development aid by 2007. That is in the agreement with the social partners, the programme for Government and the Fianna Fáil manifesto and that of other parties. It was the centrepiece of the Taoiseach's speech to the United Nations in September 2000. Not only has that not been implemented but no alternative date has been announced.

Shamefully, a programme issued this morning by Development Cooperation Ireland refers to a different target about the achievement of which the Government crows. That is the development aid of 0.15% of GNP to the least developed countries. The Taoiseach, the social partners and the Government committed themselves to what is in the programme for Government.

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