Jimmy Harte (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I have a few, if I am allowed to ask them in this season of goodwill. Thankfully, Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill is present and I can address directly his comments on stopping Irish overseas aid to Third World countries. In the week approaching Christmas it is very dangerous to be discussing putting a stop to aid to such countries as a result of the fact that we are borrowing the money involved. We are obliged to borrow that money and the reason we are giving some of it to the countries to which I refer is we are in a position to borrow it on the markets. I would not reduce our overseas aid by even 1 cent. The ¤100 we borrow from the European Central Bank or some other institution has a great deal more value in a village in Kenya in which there might be no infrastructure or water. I am sure Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill will reflect on what he said on this matter. The debate in this regard was begun by a certain celebrity solicitor in Dublin who stated, first, that he would not pay his property tax as a matter of principle and, second, that we should not be sending money to Third World countries when we were obliged to borrow it for ourselves. Everyone knows the identity of the solicitor to whom I refer. He bought an aeroplane for his girlfriend who subsequently dumped him. His priorities are so-----