Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I thank Senator Fitzgerald for sharing her time with me. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, to the House. I will begin by giving my background in this area. Throughout my adult life I have been involved in the development world and related matters. I established and operated a Central American charity at one stage and have led the development of a significant Third World fund in the INTO, to which every primary teacher contributes every month. I am currently a director of a South African fund for developing education in that area.

I have had face-to-face dealings with the Minister of State and have met him in his capacity as Minister of State with responsibility for overseas aid, and I have always found him to be open, accessible, caring and responsible. I recognise the difficulties facing the Government this year and acknowledge that cuts must be made. I can understand the thinking behind an across the board, slam-dunk 20% off everything as the easy way to make the cuts - any of us might do the same if faced with that choice - but I point out that some areas are more dependent on aid than others. I would, therefore, like the Minister of State to acknowledge that the Fine Gael amendment is very fair and even-handed and I will support it tonight rather than the ones from my own bench. It is fair and it was very gracious of Senator Fitzgerald to acknowledge the OECD issue. I do not think we need to have many differences of opinion here tonight. When we are dealing with this issue, we need to look at the impact of our decisions on people in the Third World. Every citizen of every democracy has to share global responsibility for being prepared to give.

I would like to mention a group that has not yet been referred to in this debate. Christian Aid, with which I have dealings now and again, has taken a heavy hit. It is reeling from the cutbacks. Its budget in seven countries is affected at present. I am sure it has been in contact with the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power. Its work in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Colombia, Afghanistan and Angola has been affected. I was recently involved in the opening of an exhibition, the aim of which was to draw attention to some of the difficulties that have been experienced in Angola in recent times. Christian Aid is doing superb work in Angola. I am not using this debate to raise the profile of this group, although I am keen to acknowledge its efforts. I could say the same about many other organisations. Would it be possible for the Minister of State to introduce some degree of flexibility to this system? If a particular group has a particular difficulty, can it receive specific assistance? I acknowledge the work of Christian Aid once more.

I understand that my time is almost up. Perhaps I have rambled a little. It is important for us to support organisations that work in different parts of the developing world. We all know people who have given their lives to groups that operate in the parts of the Third World, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. I hold them in the highest regard. I was at one stage very involved in Bhutan, which is an example of a forgotten country with many refugees. I would like the House to acknowledge, as the Minister of State has done, the outstanding work such people are undertaking. Perhaps their endeavours are presenting Ireland around the rest of the world in a light it does not deserve. In that context, I ask the Minister of State to recommend to the Government that it should take on board the Fine Gael proposal to start to reverse these cuts. I will conclude on that note. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House I would like a longer debate on this issue in the future, during which perhaps we can focus on the impact this work is having on various parts of the world. I reiterate that I intend to support the Fine Gael amendment.