Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I appreciate the Minister of State's reply and commitment on this matter. Would he not agree that it is distressing for those who work in this area and particularly those who benefited from Ireland's programme that the cuts in overseas development aid were disproportionate? The cut of €95 million is an entirely disproportionate cut compared with cuts in any other Department. It represents approximately 5% of the total cuts.

I am pleased the Minister has announced the continuation of the programme against hunger, but the number of people who are hungry increased dramatically to one person in seven in 2008. Is it not a fact that people saw ODA as a soft target and took twice to three times as much from that subhead as was taken from other subheads in other Departments? Where does the Minister envisage the programme remaining intact both in terms of its dispersed personnel across different projects and such new initiatives as the Minister might have in mind? The cut of €95 million from the budget is the equivalent of removing what would be spent on five programmes in five countries in, for example, Africa.

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