Sir, - I read with interest, a degree of sadness and much anger Paul Cullen's excellent article (June 11th) highlighting the possibility that the Irish Government's aid programme is not reaching the poor but helping to finance wars and prop up foreign tyrants.
The Irish people owe a huge debt of gratitude to John O'Shea and the Goal agency for the great work they do for the grass roots poor. It is of great concern to read that with the Government's aid spending programme to reach up to £800 million in 2007 the agencies on the ground have doubts about the value being got for this money. While we welcome the increase in the aid programme we must hope that Goal and the other agencies are consulted in the current review of the programme. The poor must be the real beneficiaries. - Yours, etc.,
Norman Craig, Lower Hatch Street, Dublin 2.