Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

I understand the Government intends to engage in public consultation on the White Paper on Irish Aid in the first quarter of 2012. In these times when so many of our people are struggling to cope with the austerity measures more than ever we need to demonstrate that Irish Aid is effective in getting aid to those who need it the most. This is a very important area for Ireland, one in which we have an extremely strong international reputation. We inherit a very honourable legacy which we need to protect. We need to maintain this and ensure we meet the millennium development goal of achieving a figure of 0.7% of GDP by 2015 which will be a big project ahead. AWEPA has referred to the issue of parliamentary oversight in the donor and recipient countries to ensure there is full parliamentary oversight of the money from when it is donated to when it is spent. The money can clearly be tracked all the way through. Does the Minister of State envisage parliaments having a critical role in showing that the money is getting to those who need it most?

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