Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

——but commitments were made before on overseas development aid and, unfortunately, they were not adhered to. The Government is making a genuine effort to make a decision on the commitment of reaching 0.7% of gross national product over a set timeframe. We will make our decision before September but it will be based on presumptions because we are looking into the future, although we will indicate a clear timeframe for this issue. Irrespective of who is in office after 2007, it is incumbent on all parties to adhere to whatever commitments are made at the summit in September.

Opposition Deputies are being grossly unfair to the system of development aid we have delivered when they denigrate what this country has already done. Ireland was chosen as an envoy country because we have a record that is second to none in development and peacekeeping.

See this speech in context