Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

Obviously, we do not fund governments for their own sake. Rather, we are funding projects, particularly in the health, education and water sanitation areas. Missionaries have been present and doing good work for years as the first NGOs on the ground. I keep in constant touch with them and welcome that we are increasing funding to €20 million this year. I should mention the hard-working ambassadors who have some minimal funding to help the projects directly.

We hope the foreign affairs committee, perhaps in light of the letter from the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, will have oversight in respect of these issues. Previously, I chaired the sub-committee. It and the full committee will examine these issues. I know of Deputy Timmins's great interest in this area and we are aware of the matter in respect of which he has spoken, namely, the ongoing funding, which is increasing and will lead us to the 0.7% GNP target by 2012.

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