Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

This may be a vision of things to come.

The Minister of State is welcome to the House. As we move towards the concluding weeks of the Irish Presidency of the EU, it is appropriate that we reflect on the efforts of the Department of Foreign Affairs and of the Minister of State to make progress on the important issue of international aid and development. It is good that Ireland is leading the way to progress in this regard across the European Union. Nevertheless we must recognise that we have a long way to go.

We are told that the poor will always be with us. In Ireland, through various social and political measures, we have made tremendous progress in the past ten years and our Celtic tiger economy has proved that the poor need not always be with us. Working in conjunction with the European Union, we must now try to do the same on an international stage. We must show that world poverty, famine and debt need not always be with us. This will require concentrated political effort and leadership. I recognise what the Minister of State has been trying to do but he is a prisoner of his Department and his Department is a prisoner of the Department of Finance. There will always be a limited amount of money available but we must keep the priority of international aid and development at the top of our agenda.

With the enlargement of Europe we approach a time when Europe must play an even greater role in the world. The record of the European Union on overseas aid and development is very positive. Of the international community, the EU gives the highest share of its resources as overseas and development aid, apart from Japan. This should continue and Europe must show that its external policy is one of support for poor countries, particularly the countries of southern Africa. There is a political duty to demonstrate that, whereas some global powers seem to pursue expansionist international policies, the priorities of European external policy is one of building alliances, and working with poorer countries to turn around economies and to tackle problems of debt relief and AIDS. If such issues are placed at the top of the European political agenda it will demonstrate that the EU is a union of countries who seek to build a secure, debt free and disease free world.

The Minister of State mentioned current priorities. I welcome the idea of economic partnership agreements. To have Europe working together with other countries, most particularly in southern Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean, is the way to progress. I welcome the Minister's emphasis on the issues of trade and particularly debt. Sadly, most people have no interest in the debt issue. If asked, many who do take an interest would think Bono to be the person with the most influence on debt matters, rather than governments or politicians. While Bono has done tremendous work in highlighting the problem, politicians and governments must lead the way.

In the remaining few weeks of the Irish EU Presidency, debt relief should be at the top of the agenda of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. It is financially impossible for the poorer countries of the world to pay their debts while, at the same time, developing their economies and dealing with huge social problems. It is a question of priority and we must advocate the maximum possible amount of debt relief and debt write-off. In the 1970s and 1980s, Ireland knew the problems of excessive debt. While, on a global scale, our problems were very small, it took us almost 20 years to get out of financial distress. Some emerging countries, in Africa in particular, have no chance of progressing unless we make major progress on debt relief. It is important the Minister keeps this issue at the top of his agenda.

The Minister of State referred to plans being put in place at present which will hopefully be continued by the next holders of the EU Presidency, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the UK. There must be a coherent, long-term European strategy which should flow from one Presidency to the next. The record of the Netherlands on development issues has been very positive and I trust it will build on Irish policies. The new Union of 25 countries must speak with one voice on these issues. The picture which should be painted of Europe is of a continent which may be a superpower in one sense, but one which will use its wealth, resources and political influence in the most positive fashion internationally.

The Irish EU Presidency ends in a few weeks but the Department of Foreign Affairs will continue the Irish development aid effort. A worry in this regard relates to funding. The Taoiseach announced almost four years ago that Ireland would meet the United Nations target for overseas aid spending by 2007. This commitment was to bring the aid total up to 0.7% of GNP. The Government received much international recognition for this very welcome announcement, which painted a picture of Ireland leading the way on development aid. Unfortunately, however, Irish funding has halted at 0.41% of GNP. I accept the Minister made the case for further funding during the Estimates process last year but this does not seem to have been accepted by the Department of Finance. If Ireland wishes to push the European project along a certain route in regard to international aid and development, we must lead by example and move towards the target of 0.7%. If not, the Taoiseach will have broken the promise made to the United Nations on behalf of the Irish people.

The Minister referred to our commitment to the achievement of the United Nations millennium development goals, due to be implemented by 2015. Fine Gael fully supports the achievement of these goals, which commit not just Ireland but Europe and the international community to a vision of development which promotes human rights and human development as the key to sustaining social and economic progress. The goals are challenging but at the same time essential. They include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, the achievement of universal primary education, the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, the reduction of child mortality, the improvement of maternal health, the battle against HIV-AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and the development of global partnerships for development. While it is a substantial jigsaw of work, if all the pieces are not put in place, we will not have the fair and equal world which all people deserve.

If Europe is to take a leadership role in achieving the millennium development goals, international development aid must reach $100 billion per annum. Europe is a long way from achieving this target and Ireland's financial contribution can only be a drop in the ocean when compared to it. Nonetheless, we have given a commitment to increase our rate of aid to 0.7% and should not be stuck at 0.41%.

Over the coming months, the Minister and his colleagues will be involved in Estimates debates and battles. The battle last year was lost by the Department of Foreign Affairs when the purse strings were held tightly by the Minister for Finance. The House must call on the Minister for Finance to loosen them this year so that the Government can progress towards achieving the commitment the Taoiseach gave to the United Nations on behalf of the Irish people that we would play our full role in regard to international development. It is the least we can expect.

I congratulate the Minister of State on what he is trying to do on the European stage. The policies of the expanded European Union have credibility and, if implemented in full, will ensure that Europe will play a leading role in the effort to bring fairness to humanity. However, those goals cannot be achieved without resources.It is a complex problem but through the Presidency we have shown political leadership internationally. Nevertheless, we must now demonstrate at home that we will put our money where our mouth is. The key issue for the Minister of State and the Government is the next Estimates round and the budget in respect of which there must be progress if we are to move from 0.41% of GNP to 0.7%. Once again, I appeal to the Minister of State to use whatever powers and arguments he has in the Department to impress upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs and, through him, the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach that we must put in place the extra resources to fulfil our own commitments.