Fine Gael and Labour have said they would introduce legislation making the 0.7 per cent GNP target for overseas development aid legally binding, if they were elected to Government. But they do not agree on when this target might be reached.
While Labour said it would achieve the target by 2010, Fine Gael said it hoped to do so also but this might be unrealistic given the length of time from the expected general election in 2007.
Labour's foreign affairs spokesman, Michael D Higgins, said the party would introduce legislation that it published in the summer, which would make the target figure legally binding. He said the party, if elected in 2007, would also move to reach the 0.7 per cent target by 2010, which would also be included in the legislation.
Fine Gael's foreign affairs spokesman, Bernard Allen, said that while it would also introduce legislation, he could not give a guarantee the target would be reached by 2010.
"The next election will not be until 2007, so we would be limited in what we can achieve by 2010," he said. "What we're saying is that the Taoiseach should have made the commitment now, for the 2010 target, because there are five years to get there.
The Taoiseach reneged on his original 2007 target and we're disappointed he didn't go for 2010." Mr Higgins dismissed the Taoiseach's new commitment to reach the 0.7 per cent figure by 2012, claiming the Taoiseach had "lost credibility" after reneging on his commitment in 2000.
He also attacked the PDs, claiming they had "totally abdicated their responsibilities to be the watch guards of Fianna Fáil on this issue".
"Their leader, Tánaiste Mary Harney, claims she favours a new target date of 2010, whilst former minister of State Liz O'Donnell - the only PD with any credibility or dignity on this issue - has stated the 2007 target should have been honoured.
"If the PDs. . . had wanted to achieve their position on ODA and to fight on behalf of the world's poorest, they have had ample opportunity to do so."