Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

I compliment the Minister of State on his Department's achievement and on his personal involvement in this area. I also pay tribute to his predecessor who made an important contribution at a time when overseas aid was going through a critical period and questions were being asked about whether it was the right way to undertake the work. There has been some evidence that despite the investment which has been made, life expectancy is deteriorating, food shortages are more acute now than they were when the aid programmes began and overall it may be time to consider whether the policies being followed not just by Ireland, but by the international community, are best suited to the present crisis.

I was particularly impressed with the Minister of State's intervention earlier when he indicated his wish to see trade issues being taken more into account. When I was Minister of State in that office I had an opportunity to meet with some of the leaders in the poorest countries in Africa such as Tanzania. The point was being made constantly by the political leaders that it would be better if they had access to markets for produce such as bananas, cocoa and coffee which would solve a lot of their problems. These people are not all crooks and gangsters, some are reasonably decent guys.