Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

It was written by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture. According to it, our prisons are unsafe for both inmates and employers. They are overcrowded, have poor hygiene and a culture of violence. Coupled with that, the closure of hospitals that served people with a mental illness throughout the country has resulted in an increase in mentally ill people being placed in jail, a totally inappropriate course of action for people who should be afforded real health care in line with their illnesses. How can we expect any level of rehabilitation if we continue to place prisoners and mentally ill people in such conditions? I note the Minister of State warmly welcomed the move to close the detention facility at Guantanamo. I am glad to note that but, with respect, he needs to give us a clear picture as to his intentions regarding penal reform in this country.

I would like to make a few remarks on our international commitments to the support and development of human rights on an international level and in regard to the fundamental right to life and the fundamental right to food. I was extremely disappointed by the Government's intention to reduce the overseas aid budget by €100 million. The establishment of Irish Aid and the commitment of successive Governments to the delivery of development aid has been a hugely commendable reflection of our global priorities. When the Minister of State spoke on this issue in the other House, he said that tonight 1 billion people will go to their beds hungry and that for every person in Ireland there are 250 people worldwide who will not have enough food to eat today. Yet the aid budget will be cut at a higher level than the cut in any other budget. I have seen at first hand the benefits of the aid programme, as has the Minister of State and I acknowledge his commitment to this area. The benefits we get in terms of health, education and betterment of civil governance is money well spent and expenditure of which we as a nation can be extremely proud.

The proposed scale of this cutback is worrying. It will send entirely the wrong message to the international community. Other donors could simply say the Irish are cutting their aid programme and that they can do the same. The end result is that the Third World will lose out. What kind of example are we showing?

I ask the Minister to reconsider this proposed cut? Senator Ormonde, who is present and other Senators, including Senators Boyle and Ó Murchú, on the Government side of the House, have credibility on this issue and are committed to overseas aid. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider what is proposed here. The cut proposed is too great. I ask the Minister of State to reflect on this and to reconsider if the proposed cut can be reduced.

I commend the Senators who brought forward this motion for debate tonight. We are facing into a period where only hard decisions will ensure our safe passage through this mess. However, it is important to point out that sometimes hard decisions involve retention rather than abolition. We should keep at least a tentative eye on the kind of nation we want to be when we emerge from this crisis. A populist race to the bottom is in nobody's interest. Our commitment to the promotion and development of human rights should not be a fair weather pursuit at home or abroad.