Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on correspondence (details supplied); his proposals to deal with the matter; the action or representations made in regard to global week by his Department or the contacts made with the stated non-governmental organisations in relation to their proposals in regard to the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11644/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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The letter enclosed with the Deputy's parliamentary question refers to global action week organised by Trade Justice Ireland and the need to address trade issues from the perspective of developing countries. I support this and similar initiatives in whatever way possible.

Ireland strongly believes that developing countries, and especially least developed countries, must be provided with the means to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the global trading system. The Government is committed to the successful conclusion of the current WTO negotiations, known as the Doha development agenda. Since the launch of the WTO Doha Round of negotiations, Ireland along with our partners in the European Union has sought to ensure that the round should promote development objectives. We will continue to take this approach to the WTO Hong Kong ministerial meeting next December.

The EU has a number of preferential trade relationships with least developed countries. The most important is in the framework of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement with 77 countries mainly from Sub-Saharan Africa, but also the smaller Caribbean and Pacific states. This provides access to EU markets on preferential terms for exports from these countries. Another important trade link is the 2001 Everything but Arms initiative which grants least developed countries very wide access to EU markets with transitional arrangements applying in the case of bananas, rice and sugar. The ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement and the Everything but Arms initiative results in Europe being the main global importer of exports from least developed countries.

I wish to reiterate that the Government remains strongly committed to achieving the UN target for expenditure on ODA. The issue of how best to meet the target and in what timeframe is under ongoing review. Furthermore, I feel it is important to point out that Ireland, unlike many donors, has successfully focused its aid programme on the needs of the poorest people in the poorest countries. Ireland is in fact one of only six countries to have surpassed the UN target of 0.15% of GNP in official development assistance to least developed countries.