Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

This morning the aid organisation, Dóchas, will make a presentation to the Sub-committee on Overseas Development. I expect one of the points it will make will be the impact further cuts will have on the world's poor. Tonight approximately 1 billion people throughout the world will go to bed hungry. Last week the OECD made the point that it is worried that any cuts to the aid budget will reduce the impact aid has had over recent years and will undo some of the good done in trying to achieve the millennium development goals.

Today in the ExCel Centre in London's docklands, I hope to see the G20 governments restate the commitment that they will continue to give to the developing countries. We can do the same in this country and I ask Senators on the Government side, in advance of next week's mini-budget, to make the case for the aid budget to be retained as it stands. It suffered disproportionately in recent cuts and it needs to be left alone.

Will the Deputy Leader arrange a debate on the effectiveness of Irish aid? The Irish Aid programme has been very effective throughout the world in reducing poverty. I would like a debate so that we can explore those benefits and help to convince people about the significant worth achieved by our aid programme.

The Labour Party will make its submission to the mini-budget later today. It will be based on the need to get Ireland back to work, protect jobs and ensure fairness. Like Senator O'Toole, I thought this morning's kite flying by IBEC was totally uncalled for. If it wants to see the impact a reduction in social welfare rates will have all it has to do is pick up a copy of this morning's Irish Daily Mail which shows people queuing up for food. Social welfare rates were low in the past. During the Celtic tiger, many people were in poverty. Any cuts to social welfare rates will put more children into poverty. That point was made by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul which has seen a 30% increase in the number of calls. Proposals, such as cutting social welfare rates, must be ruled out.

We all recognise savings must be made but I suggest we start at the top. We will look for an additional rate of tax at the top and to close off any tax loopholes. We need to get rid of the ridiculous situation where disc jockeys being paid in excess of €500,000 by the State can still claim tax free status on the sales of their book about life as a disc jockey. The Minister for Finance needs to start there before he targets people on the breadline.