Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Irish Aid is of great assistance in these matters. I refer specifically to Tanzania where a new gold mine has been opened every year since 1998. A study funded by Christian Aid indicates that, between 2000 and 2008, €265.5 million in taxes were lost because of gross abuse by extractive industries. Putting this figure in context, Tanzania receives €470 million in aid in a full year.

Tanzania is the largest gold producer after South Africa, yet life expectancy is 55 years and per capita expenditure on children's education is less than $48. It is being robbed right, left and centre by extractive mining companies. The Nairobi declaration would address this sort of scandal by requiring companies to publish results in the countries in which they operate, allowing African countries to survey the extent of their minerals before they sign mining agreements and ensuring bodies such as the EU do not facilitate the declaration of bogus losses. Each of the companies involved in Tanzania declares losses of approximately €500 million per year to avoid paying taxes.

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