The chairman of the Catholic relief agency Trócaire, Bishop John Kirby, has described as "particularly disappointing" indications that the Government is considering 2015 as the target date for overseas development aid, writes Patsy McGarry.
Yesterday he and the other Irish bishops "noted with concern" (the) indications given in the Oireachtas on Wednesday by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Conor Lenihan, he said.
The figure - 0.7 per cent of gross national product - and date was now the target for most other countries, Dr Kirby continued, "far removed from the Government's original target date of 2007" and was "in effect a rebuff to the poorest nations."
To achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015, it was necessary that aid budgets be doubled, he said.